Michelle Guthrie apologises to Kevin Rudd over editorial errors

Former PM Kevin Rudd has reportedly dropped legal action against the ABC after managing director Michelle Guthrie wrote “a grovelling apology” amid a growing number of “editorial mistakes.”

Fairfax reports Guthrie “unreservedly apologised” to Rudd over a January report that claimed the Labor prime minister was warned of “critical risks” relating to the home insulation scheme. Four men lost their lives installing home insulation under the controversial economic stimulus program, but Rudd was cleared by a Royal Commission.

ABC’s story implied the former PM ignored critical safety concerns when a source document actually referred to financial risks associated with the scheme. It quickly rewrote the story saying it never intended to “suggest that Mr Rudd recklessly ignored critical risks before the deaths of four young installers” or “that he lied to the royal commission that examined those deaths”.

The newspaper reveals Guthrie wrote to Rudd in late April asking that he accept her apology, conceding published stories hadn’t received the editorial scrutiny they needed.

This week the Australian Communications and Media Authority this week ruled that a report on former PM Tony Abbott breached the ABC’s code for impartiality.