Drum host Dan Bourchier criticises the ABC for its handling of racism complaints, reveals his reluctance to appear on programs because he was the ‘diversity pick’.
Speaking on the ABC’s Sunday morning political chat show, hosted by David Speers, Bourchier became emotional as he spoke about the online abuse former Q+A host Stan Grant, a Wiradjuri, Gurrawin and Dharawal man, had experienced, and said he too had been racially attacked.
“Stan has been a mentor and a friend of mine so it’s been quite personal, it’s felt really personal,” he said on Sunday’s program.
“It’s reminded me of things that I’d thought that I’d dealt with about the abuse – the death threats, the constant belittling and degrading of what your perspective is. That happens from some in the community.
“It’s also raised a lot of issues about what happens within the ABC, and there’s been a lot of reporting about that.
“I have to say that not much of that has surprised me, because it’s what I hear and some of it (racism) is what I’ve experienced myself.”
Bourchier is chairman of the Bonner committee – the ABC’s primary advisory body relating to Indigenous issues. He was in consultation with managing director David Anderson following the racism issues voiced by Grant and it led to the ABC announcing a review that will investigate and make recommendations about how the public broadcaster responds to racism impacting staff.
Bourchier is also the ABC’s voice referendum correspondent and hosts The Drum.
He said his regular invitations to appear on Insiders were tokenistic and simply done to tick a diversity box.
“I’m dismissed as your diversity pick or a box ticker, that comes from within our organisation and that sends a message that that type of language is normal. It’s not and it’s unacceptable,” Bourchier said.
Speers responded: “It is unacceptable and that’s not why you are here, for the record.”
Bourchier replied: “I would hope not but that’s why initially I said no to coming on this program, it’s why I’ve said no to other programs.”