ABC talk show’s producers believed it was reasonable to allow the former terrorism suspect to ask his approved question on live television

The producers of Q&A believed it was perfectly reasonable to allow the former terrorism suspect Zaky Mallah to appear on the live talk show – a risk given his background, but a manageable one.

The ABC’s managing director, Mark Scott, was not consulted about giving Mallah a platform to ask a question but there is nothing out of the ordinary about that.

The ABC TV executive directly responsible for the show, the director of television, Richard Finlayson, had no idea that Mallah was lined up to appear either.

Editorial decisions are made by the veteran executive producer, Peter McEvoy, a multiple Walkley award-winning journalist who has been at the helm of Q&A since 2008.

Mallah had applied to be in the audience, the ABC said. His question to the Coalition MP Steve Ciobo was approved beforehand and he was told he could ask it on live TV.

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Under Q&A’s rules, audience members can submit a question which may be chosen to be asked during the show. Other questions are submitted by viewers at home and may be asked via video.

Mallah asked Ciobo: “As the first man in Australia to be charged with terrorism under the harsh Liberal Howard government in 2003 … what would have happened if my case had been decided by the minister himself and not the courts?”

But after Ciobo said he would be happy to see him leave the country, Mallah went further than his scheduled, approved question and accused Ciobo of giving Australian Muslims an incentive to go to Syria to join Islamic State (Isis).

“The Liberals have just justified to many Australian Muslims in the community tonight to leave and go to Syria and join Isil because of ministers like him,” Mallah said.

Q&A’s host, Tony Jones, jumped in immediately: “I think that’s a comment we’re just going to rule totally out of order.”

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By early Tuesday morning the ABC was in damage control, issuing a statement saying it had been wrong to involve Mallah in the program.

“In attempting to explore important issues about the rights of citizens and the role of the government in fighting terrorism, the Q&A program made an error in judgment in allowing Zaky Mallah to join the audience and ask a question,” the statement said.

“Mr Mallah has been interviewed by the Australian media on a number of occasions. The environment of a live television broadcast, however, meant it would not be possible for editorial review of the comments he might make prior to broadcast, particularly if he engaged in debate beyond his prepared question.”

The ABC’s chief critics and News Corp columnists Andrew Bolt and Chris Kenny asked why Q&A had given the former terrorism suspect a platform and why the audience had applauded some of his comments.

Bolt wrote: “(Note: part of the Q&A audience actually clapped Mallah. From where does the ABC get such people? From where did it get Mallah, and why give him a platform?)”

Later on Tuesday the communications minister, Malcolm Turnbull, revealed that he had spoken to Scott and Jones and had called for for an external review of the program.

“I recognise that journalists do talk to lots of people. But to have a person of that background in a live audience is a very grave error of judgment,” Turnbull told Sky News.

“It was a very, very poor decision and a serious error of judgment.”

Although the mea culpa was issued in Finlayson’s name, it was no doubt a political decision by Scott’s office to offer an apology and say the program’s decision-making would be reviewed.



With the government and its supporters condemning the ABC for giving Mallah a platform, Scott wanted to get on the front foot and not be seen to be condoning the program’s decision.