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Stan Grant to stand down as Q+A host following racial abuse

ABC host takes break from moderating role following racial and threatening abuse.

ABC host Stan Grant will stand down from Q+A following ongoing criticism and abuse, particularly around his appearance on ABC Coronation coverage.

In a statement, ABC Director News Justin Stevens, said, “Over many months, but particularly in recent days, Stan Grant has been subject to grotesque racist abuse, including threats to his safety. This has become particularly virulent since he appeared as part of the ABC’s Coronation coverage.

“It is abhorrent and unacceptable.

“Stan personally addresses this issue in a column published today.”

Grant wrote,”On social media my family and I are regularly racially mocked or abused. This is not new. Barely a week goes by when I am not racially targeted. My wife is targeted with abuse for being married to a Wiradjuri man.

“I don’t even read it, yet I can’t escape it. People stop me in the street to tell me how vile it is. They tell me how sorry they are. Although I try to shield myself from it, the fact it is out there poisons the air I breathe.”

He continued, “I am not beyond criticism. I occupy a privileged and prominent place in the media — I should be critiqued. And I am not thin skinned. Aboriginal people learn to tough it out. That’s the price of survival.”

Grant was made permanent host of Q+A in July 2022 following a short period of rotating hosts, with Virginia Trioli and David Speers.

Since Tony Jones departure in 2019 Grant has attracted headlines including asking an audience member to leave in March last year.

Grant recently openly criticised a lack of diversity by ABC in its recent NSW Election night coverage, saying “There is no excuse for what I saw on air last night. None. I have worked at organisations around the world and nowhere would what we presented last night be tolerated.”

Stevens then said he welcomed constructive discussion whilst defending the “editorially strong and well presented” panel.

Grant today wrote that, “no one at the ABC — whose producers invited me onto their coronation coverage as a guest — has uttered one word of public support. Not one ABC executive has publicly refuted the lies written or spoken about me. I don’t hold any individual responsible; this is an institutional failure.

“I value the friendship of ABC Director of News, Justin Stevens. He has been a support and a comfort. He is trying to change an organisation that has its own legacy of racism. But he knows I am disappointed. I am dispirited.

“I was not the producer nor presenter of the coronation broadcast yet every newspaper article accusing the ABC of bias has carried my image. I am writing this because I will not have people depict me as a person of hate.”

Stevens said today, “Stan is one of Australia’s best and most respected journalists and broadcasters. The ABC stands by him and condemns the attacks directed towards him,

“The ABC has and will continue to refer any threats to police. Already this year the ABC has lodged a detailed complaint with Twitter over the racist abuse of Stan being published on its platform.

“Stan Grant was one of a range of panelists who appeared during the 6 May Coronation coverage at the invitation of the ABC. He was not the instigator of the program. He was asked to participate as a Wiradjuri man to discuss his own family’s experience and the role of the monarchy in Australia in the context of Indigenous history.

“It is part of the ABC’s role to facilitate such important conversations, however confronting and uncomfortable, and to reflect the diversity of perspectives.

“The panel discussion in which he participated aired early as one segment in around eight hours of live Coronation coverage. The timing of this important discussion in the lead-up to the event has resulted in a strong response from some viewers. This is regrettable. The ABC Ombudsman will investigate editorial complaints about the coverage, according to the customary process.

“The responsibility for the coverage lies with ABC News management, not with Stan Grant. Yet it is he who has borne the brunt of a tirade of criticism, particularly in the usual sections of the media that target the ABC. Reporting on his contribution to the panel discussion has been unfair, inaccurate and irresponsible. It has contributed to fuelling horrendous personal and racial abuse.

“Any complaints, criticism – or vitriol – regarding the coverage should be directed to me, not to him.

Yindyamalgirridyu mayinyguwal. In Wiradjuri that means I will respect other people.”

Grant will stand down as host after Monday’s show. ABC is yet to indicate when he will return.

Updated.

40 Responses

  1. … I have been reluctant to wade in on this, but an opinion piece by Stuart Littlemore and David Salter in the SMH and Age headlined “Did the ABC throw Stan Grant under the bus? It’s a matter of opinion” says it far better than I ever could … everyone who cares about broadcasting and the ABC in particular should read it …

  2. Racism of any sort is uncalled for and it’s true too that ABC commentators are regularly subjected to abuse on social media whipped up by the Sky After Dark mob and various other elements of the Murdoch media empire.
    Stan Grant however is not above criticism here, he in recent times has used the ABC as a platform for some very rigorous perpetuation of the argument of aboriginal dispossession and invasion. And the ABC got the tone totally wrong in the first hour of their Coronation coverage on Saturday May 6 – it was not the time for a discussion or debate on the Republic vs Monarchy, the Voice, Colonial history etc.
    As for the future of Q&A, assuming Stan Grant isn’t returning to the hosting gig any time soon, how about John Barron and Fran Kelly and David Speers alternating the hosting gig between them for the rest of 2023? John Barron in particular is a great moderator of a panel, and even handed too.

  3. I find it puzzling at all the criticism Stan is getting for the coronation coverage a little simple minded.
    If there was to be criticism it should be given to to the producers of that section of the telecast who booked Stan & Craig foster in the first place.
    I would imagine that the ABC choose to devote a section of their coronation broadcast to other views on the monarchy was because of all the criticism the ABC received of their one sided broadcast of the issues when the Queen died. I guess they couldn’t win either way.
    As for a new/replacement host of Q&A I’d like to see someone like Brian Nankervis

    1. What one sided broadcast of the issues when the queen died. Our head of state passed away, the ABC had a responsibility to show her life and broadcast the funeral. End of story.

  4. Sarah Ferguson would be perfect to host Q&A.
    Of course she already has commitments hosting 7.30 so unfortunately not likely.
    Sammy J (with his “serious face” on ) or Paul Barry ( Media Watch) would make for interesting hosts as well.

      1. Yes David, can picture Fran as host.
        Thinking outside the square, still reckon Sammy J definitely has the potential to be an excellent host though.

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