Now is time for The Chaser to strike while the ABC are focusing on other problems
ABC fraudster jailed over $600,000 rortA former ABC manager has been jailed for a maximum eight years for defrauding the broadcaster of more than half a million dollars.
Mark John Williams, 51, was operations manager in the ABC's news division when, over a period of two years from November 2002, he embezzled around $600,000.
Parramatta District Court was told that with the assistance of a co-accused, Peter Bell, Williams siphoned the money by issuing false invoices.
He also forged credit card signatures and used petty cash and taxi vouchers.
Williams, of Newport, pleaded guilty to the charges.
Judge Mark Marien jailed Williams for eight years, with a non-parole period of four years and nine months.
He will be eligible for parole in April 2012.
Bell, a Melbourne company director, was jailed for at least three years and 10 months, with a maximum six years and six months for his role.
He was also ordered to pay reparations of $248,088 to the ABC, while Williams owes $357,329.
Bell will be eligible for release in May 2011.
ABC reviews ethics after Costello dinnerThe ABC has moved to review its journalists' ethics following controversy over reporting of a dinner attended by federal Treasurer Peter Costello and three journalists.
The three journalists included the ABC's Michael Brissenden, who revealed details of the 2005 dinner at which Mr Costello allegedly said he was prepared to go to the backbench and destroy Prime Minister John Howard's leadership.
The facts of the dinner and whether the conversation was off the record are in dispute.
ABC managing director Mark Scott said the events had prompted a review of the corporation's policies providing guidance to ABC journalists in two contentious areas.
These were off-the-record and background conversations and balancing the commitment to confidentiality against the public interest in disclosure of information, and appropriate practice when an ABC staff member becomes a participant in a story rather than purely an observer.
The ABC has published the details of its review and invited the public to comment on its 7.30 Report website.
Alan Sunderland, the head of national programs at the ABC, said in a summary posted on the website that the journalists present at the dinner had indicated publicly they were originally convinced the dinner discussion was on background (not to be attributed to Mr Costello) and could be reported as such.
"The treasurer's office has indicated that it always considered the conversation at the dinner to be off-the-record. This essential disagreement is vital to what followed," Mr Sunderland said.
He said that, the day after the dinner, the journalists were proceeding with their plans to prepare stories, using the discussion at the dinner as unattributable background.
"They were contacted by the treasurer's media adviser, who argued that the dinner should not be reported.
"After some discussion, all the journalists agreed to abide by that request, although some have since stated that they did so reluctantly and now regret their decision."
Mr Sunderland said that, as a respected and ethical journalist, Mr Brissenden (in conjunction with editorial management) made a judgment based on consideration of the ethics and the realities of the situation.
He said that in opening up the 7.30 Report website to comment from the public, and in laying out the reasoning behind the story, the ABC was acknowledging that the story had rightly created much controversy and comment.
"There was criticism of the original report, and also criticism of the program's decision to have Mr Brissenden continue reporting the issue on the following day," he said.
"Some of the issues raised go to the heart of journalistic practice, and the proper relationship between the media, those about whom the media reports, and the public.
"This is an opportunity for all of our viewers to have their say too."
This is a warning for Chaser to get back to the top of the newspapers
