'Arrogant' Chasers Defy ABC on Chris Kenny Apology
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‘Arrogant’ Chasers defy ABC on Chris Kenny apology SHARRI MARKSON THE AUSTRALIAN JUNE 05, 2014 12:00AM THE Chaser team has defied the ABC managing director Mark Scott by declaring it will never apologise to The Australian columnist Chris Kenny for its offensive skit, thus flouting the terms of a defamation settlement. Nine months after the skit depicting Kenny as a “dog f. ker’’ first aired on the election-night edition of The Hamster Decides, Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the ABC had mishandled the affair and former ABC chairman Maurice Newman said the Chaser team was defying management. Hours before the ABC broadcast an on-air apology last night to Kenny, the Chaser presenter named in the defamation suit, Andrew Hansen, appeared to defy the terms of the settlement in a tweet: “ABC’s apologising to Chris Kenny, again. The Chaser isn’t, again. But we’ve agreed not to make more pictures of ABC execs shagging hamsters.” The Chaser’s Chris Taylor posted on Facebook: “Just to be clear. The Chaser team is not apologising, and will never apologise to Chris Kenny. Tonight’s on-air apology is from the ABC, not us.” Both statements appeared to breach the terms of the ABC’s settlement with Kenny that specified members of the Chaser team would not make public statements that “detract” from the apology. This clause in the settlement, which also included the ABC paying Kenny’s legal fees and some damages, was intended to prevent a repeat of the way The Chaser’s Julian Morrow undermined Mr Scott’s personal apology to Kenny in April. Mr Scott refused to respond to questions yesterday about whether statements made by the Chaser presenters breached the terms of the settlement. A source close to the ABC said, “If management is not able to insist that its instructions be followed then what you have is anarchy.” Mr Turnbull welcomed the apology but said the entire affair had been mishandled by the ABC. “My only regret is that immediately following the tasteless skit the ABC did not apologise to Mr Kenny,’’ he said. “I have no doubt that would have settled the matter. As it is, the only winner out of this mishandled episode has been the legal profession.” Mr Newman said the “arrogant” Chaser team clearly thought it was “above and beyond the authority” of ABC management. “The Chaser team’s arrogance knows no bounds,’’ he said. “I think it shows defiance for whatever authority the ABC management has. “If the terms of the settlement are correct, they are disregarding the authority of the ABC management. I don’t know what other conclusion you can reach.” Last night, Morrow said he did not think the comments by Taylor and Hansen were in breach of the settlement. “They are consistent in every respect,’’ he said. “I don’t think anything I’ve done today detracts from the settlement or the apology and I don’t think any of us have. I think the idea that we allow or don’t allow people to comment on Facebook is a little misguided.’’ Kenny said he was disappointed. “Like most taxpayers, I have high expectations of the ABC, not of the so-called Chaser boys,’’ he said. “If Mark Scott is encountering resistance to his obedience training, that is his problem.” .