Broadcaster says Emma Alberici piece removed because it did not meet editorial standards

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

After complaints from Malcolm Turnbull, ABC News has removed an analysis piece about the government’s proposed corporate tax cuts by economics correspondent Emma Alberici.



Facebook Twitter Pinterest The ABC removed Emma Alberici’s analysis of company tax paid by Australian companies. Photograph: ABC

An accompanying news story by Alberici – which said Qantas hadn’t paid corporate tax for close to 10 years – has been rewritten and reposted.

“Qantas CEO Alan Joyce, one of the most prominent supporters of the Turnbull government’s proposed big business tax cut, presides over a company that hasn’t paid corporate tax for close to 10 years,” the news report said.

The Coalition is arguing that by reducing business tax the Australian economy will attract more investment and create more jobs.

In her analysis Alberici had argued that there was no case for a corporate tax cut when one in five companies did not pay tax.

Guardian Australia understands ABC News management has been in crisis meetings for two days after the prime minister attacked the articles in question time and then wrote formal letters of complaint to management.

The ABC said the Alberici analysis piece had been removed because it did not meet editorial standards and further information and context had been added to the news story.

The gift that keeps on giving: 10 Joyce splashes in a row at the Tele | The Weekly Beast Read more

“On 14 February 2018 ABC News Online published two stories on corporate tax rates – a news story examining why some Australian companies do not pay corporate tax and an analysis of proposed changes to company tax rates,” a spokeswoman said.

“The analysis piece did not accord with our editorial standards for analysis content, and has been removed for further review.”

The ABC has denied there was any pressure from the government.

“Complaints about the stories have been referred to the independent complaints handling unit Audience & Consumer Affairs, which will examine the editorial issues that have been raised,” a spokeswoman said.

“Any suggestion the ABC is responding to outside pressure over these stories is incorrect. They have been subject to the normal ABC editorial processes. The internal review of the stories was begun before any complaints were received by ABC News.”

Turnbull was scathing about the articles on Wednesday, attacking the ABC’s understanding of the business world.

“We saw that [the opposition] were busily retweeting the article – one of the most confused and poorly researched articles I’ve seen on this topic on the ABC’s website,” Turnbull said in question time.

“The ABC has the same understanding of the commercial world as does the opposition.”

Kristina Keneally (@KKeneally) In QT the PM tore into @albericie for her analysis that there is little case for corporate tax cuts. He’s ignored similar pieces by @MichaelWestBiz @Adam_Creighton @StephenLongAus @1petermartin @BernardKeane



Draw your own conclusions.

ABC sources said there were no inaccuracies in the articles but the director of news, Gaven Morris, decided to take the analysis piece down because he believed it sounded too much like opinion.

Under the editorial guidelines ABC journalists are allowed to write analysis but not opinion.

After the revised news piece was published, the former Lateline presenter, who studied economics, tweeted about her qualifications.

Emma Alberici (@albericie) In 2001 I was a @walkleys finalist for a story on tax minimisation #justsaying

In the missing article Alberici said there was no compelling evidence that giving the country’s biggest companies a tax cut meant that money was passed on to workers in the form of higher wages.

“Treasury modelling relies on theories that belie the reality that’s playing out around the world,” she wrote.

“Since the peak of the commodities boom in 2011-12, profit margins have risen to levels not seen since the early 2000s but wages growth has been slower than at any time since the 1960s.

“It’s also disingenuous to talk about a 30% rate when so few companies pay anything like that thanks to tax legislation that allows them to avoid paying corporate tax. Exclusive analysis released by ABC today reveals one in five of Australia’s top companies has paid zero tax for the past three years.

You can still read the analysis article here.