URGENT: A Government Petition has also been launched on this same issue. It is important that BOTH petitions be signed. The link to the Govt. e-petition is HERE

• The ABC is Australia's National Broadcaster funded by taxpayers.
• ACON is the Aids Council of NSW - an advocate for LGBTQA  issues.
• The ABC have 'Platinum Status' with ACON.
• The ABC wins ACON awards and 'Practice Points' for LGBTQA recruitment, programing, free use of ABC talent and LGBTQA-positive articles.

Why this petition?
Objective NEWS journalism is the cornerstone of democracy, allowing people to form opinions based on unbiased presentation of facts.

As a past media academic and current journalist, I firmly believe that the Australian public deserves ABC NEWS reporting that is independent, and adheres to the standards of objective journalism.

Not about ACON
Historically, ACON has done positive work in the area of AIDS awareness. They now advocate strongly for transgender and non-binary concerns. This is NOT about ACON, but about the ABC's relationship with them.

Research
Several research studies, including my own,  have found considerable LGBTQA-positive bias in ABC News reporting on topics of gender identity, transgenderism and gender diversity. Slant and bias belong in 'Opinion' articles. They do NOT belong in NEWS articles.

The Charter
In Appendix 1, Sections 8c & 8d of the ABC Charter, it is the duty of the Board:

• "to maintain the independence & integrity of the Corporation" and
• "to ensure that the gathering and presentation by the Corporation of news & information is accurate & impartial according to the recognized standards of objective journalism." (8d)

According to the research mentioned above, ABC Online NEWS has already been in breach of these parts of the Charter.

Conflict of Interest
The alliance between ABC NEWS and ACON raises potential conflict of interest concerns. The link with ACON may put undue pressure on ABC NEWS to alter, slant or omit reporting in favor of the ACON agenda or to score practice points. ABC NEWS cannot serve both the interests of ACON and the interests of objective journalism.

What action does this petition call for?
To preserve the independence and integrity the ABC Charter demands, there needs to be a clear delineation between the organization and any external groups with vested interests. ACON is one of those groups.

With this petition, we urge the ABC Board to consider the potential risks posed by maintaining ties with ACON. We urge the Board to prioritize the commitment to unbiased journalism and the ABC Charter by instructing management to cut all ties with ACON.

Doing so will not only align ABC NEWS with its charter obligations but also reinforce its standing as a trusted source of information for Australians. It is not only important that ABC NEWS be fully impartial, but that they are seen to be impartial. 

We urge the ABC Board to take decisive action.
A Government Petition has also been launched on this same issue. It is important that BOTH petitions be signed. The link to the Govt. e-petition is HERE