It’s hilariously absurd that everyone is just fine with religious extremists attacking our democratic institutions like this. How would everyone feel about Isis establishing hostile espionage cells in Australia with a view to attacking journalists. Religious people are far too dangerous to be trusted with anything remotely important.
It seems to me like the issue here isn’t that these lawyers wrote letters, but whether the ABC folded to pressure instead of following their own policies, and whether information was leaked from the ABC.
I’d say there’s something wrong with these workers of our legal system, clandestinely meeting together to harass workers for holding political views and terrorising public institutions to conform to their views.
They didn’t “harass workers”, did they? I think the ABC should also be able to withstand a letter-writing campaign and that “terrorising” is a bit of a stretch there.
Spurious threats of legal action might be of interest to professional bodies, though.
I’m inclined to agree. This is not front page news and arguably not even news.
Some Jewish people unhappy about an ABC reporter taking what appears to them to be an anti Israel position write a letter of complaint. The fact they are lawyers is neither here nor there.
If the situation was reversed and they were pro Palestinian complaining about what appears to be an anti Palestine point of view nobody would say boo.
The fact they are lawyers is neither here nor there.
Well, the lawyers involved think differently:
Nicky Stein
Needs to be done again today … It is important ABC hears not just from individuals in the community but specifically lawyers so they feel there is an actual legal threat.
Nicky Stein
I have basically written to them and told them I expect a proper response, not a generic one, by COB today or I would look to engage a senior counsel. I know there is probably no actionable offence against ABC but I didn’t say I would be taking one - just investigating one. I have said they they should be terminating her employment immediately.
Nicky Stein
Just got this back from Ita Buttrose in response to my email (which was a bit cheeky threatening legal action I know)
So I’d say that they’re lawyers is relevant in that they thought it would help them apply pressure, and it seems to have. I don’t think just anyone would be able to get a personal response from the ABC chairperson. What’s more is that they knew their threats of legal action weren’t well-founded.
Again? So what ? They are a lawyer and therefore can’t write a letter of complaint? They are entitled to do so and it’s not illegal to threaten potential legal action. If the court thinks it’s bullshit they’ll throw it out of it gets that far.
And again I make the point if it was pro Palestine lawyers complaining about a perceived anti Palestine commentary on the ABC nobody in the media would say boo.
It’s a beat-up over nothing and it’s not news. ABC management and their entire legal department are big boys and girls and they can handle tersely worded letters .
Now if the ABC caved to pressure and sacked the employee unfairly without due process because of these letters that would be different. But there’s no evidence presented that this is happen. Until then the media can shut the fuck up.
I think you’ve missed the point here. Because they are lawyers and not everyone else are lawyers and not every lawyer would understand every bit of legislation inside out their complaints carry more weight than an ordinary citizen. I would argue a lawyer threatening legal action is somewhat similar to a soldier drawing a gun (not because of the danger but due to their training and experience in its use).
Maybe if they were writing to an average Joe blow i might be sympathetic to your argument but they weren’t. They were writing to a large organization with a well funded legal team. This is not David and Goliath.
I mean you’d be 100% wrong. I hate what they did but the right to organise hasn’t been taken away and well it should not, otherwise you’d be a potential criminal too.
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