Senator vents at ‘flippant’ ABC boss

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, October 28, 2026

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation faced intense Senate scrutiny over its response to allegations that freelance journalist Roshdi Sarraj, killed in Gaza, had Hamas ties, with ABC officials disputing the sufficiency of Israeli Defence Forces evidence. The hearing also spotlighted criticism of the ABC’s editorial oversight, including backlash over a controversial satirical segment and admitted failures in supervising staff, raising questions about the broadcaster’s standards and accountability.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) faced sharp criticism during a Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday over its handling of allegations that a freelance journalist hired by the broadcaster had ties to Hamas. Opposition communications spokeswoman Sarah Henderson accused ABC editorial director Gavin Fang of responding dismissively to evidence presented by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) that the late freelancer, Roshdi Sarraj, carried a Hamas identity card at the time of his death in Gaza.

Sarraj, who provided video coverage for the ABC’s 7.30 program as a stringer, was among 170 media workers killed in the ongoing Middle East conflict. The IDF contends that many of these individuals were operatives linked to Hamas. The broadcaster aired a tribute to Sarraj following his death, with 7.30 host Sarah Ferguson eulogizing him on air.

At the hearing, Fang maintained that the ABC had yet to receive sufficient evidence to confirm Sarraj’s involvement with Hamas during his employment. He said the broadcaster was also investigating whether Sarraj should be classified as a legitimate journalist, noting that his name remains on a list of journalists killed in Gaza compiled by the Committee to Protect Journalists. “Until we are able to find something that goes to the veracity of that claim, I don’t think it’s incumbent on us to make a decision or to declare that that person was a member of Hamas,” Fang said.

Senator Henderson expressed disbelief at Fang’s stance, emphasizing the credibility of the IDF’s intelligence and urging the ABC to reconsider the evidence. “This is the work of the defence force of one of our closest allies, Israel. Their work includes the fact that Mr Sarraj has a Hamas ID card. And you don’t think that’s sufficient evidence?” Henderson asked, holding up the IDF’s report during questioning. She criticized Fang’s tone, calling it “flippant” and deeply concerning.

The matter follows earlier revelations about Sarraj and the broader issue of media personnel casualties tied to the conflict. In a separate but related matter, Liberal Senator Dean Smith condemned the ABC for broadcasting a controversial satirical segment aired in July depicting violence against businesswoman Gina Rinehart. The segment, from the show Race Around The World, featured graphic language inciting violent imagery, prompting public backlash.

Smith criticized the ABC for lacking sufficient editorial safeguards, noting that the segment passed initial internal review before ABC managing director Hugh Marks intervened to remove it. Smith questioned why editorial guidelines on violence had not been updated earlier, given recent national events. Marks defended the broadcaster’s response, acknowledging the mistake and issuing an apology to Rinehart, stating, “We acknowledge the error. We apologise for the offence, and we’ve taken the appropriate steps.”

Marks also conceded that the ABC had failed to properly supervise former journalist Mahmood Fazal amid previous controversies, acknowledging the broadcaster’s missteps.

The hearings highlighted ongoing scrutiny of the ABC’s management of editorial standards, journalist vetting, and content oversight amid politically sensitive and volatile subject matters.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.