Australian War Memorial slams the ABC for using dirty tricks in controversial documentary

By ASHLEY NICKEL FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Published: 14:57 BST, 14 April 2025 | Updated: 17:20 BST, 14 April 2025

The Australian War Memorial has lodged a complaint with the ABC after its leading current affairs program gave the ‘false impression’ that construction noise drowned out the Last Post. 

Director Matt Anderson PSM has expressed his disappointment regarding ‘the misrepresentation of staff and activities’ aired on a Four Corners episode about the memorial museum aired on March 10.

The ‘Sacrifice’ episode focused on controversial upgrades being made to the Canberra memorial under a $500million plan by former prime minister Scott Morrison.

ABC reporter Mark Willacy told viewers the site had ‘become a battleground fought over by those who want it to expand and evolve, and by those who warn that it’s being turned into a half-a-billion-dollar military theme park that celebrates, rather than commemorates war.’

A clip from the episode played sound from the Last Post Ceremony held at 4.30pm daily to farewell guests before cutting to b-roll of construction work.

As viewers are confronted with the noisy machinery, the Last Post continued to play in the background.

‘This place of commemoration is also a construction site,’ Willacy said.

Mr Anderson claimed there was no construction noise when the ABC filmed the Last Post, nor during the daily ceremony and has since lodged a written complaint with ABC chairman Kim Williams.

The Australian War Memorial lodged a complaint with the ABC over a recent Four Corners episode. Pictured are visitors attending the daily Last Post ceremony

The episode played the Last Post in the background while showing construction (pictured)

‘There was no construction teams working on the day the Last Post Ceremony was filmed by Four Corners as it was Remembrance Day,’ Mr Anderson told Daily Mail Australia on Monday night.

‘The Australian War Memorial has had a stop work order since 2020 to prevent construction noise from disrupting commemorative ceremonies including the daily Last Post Ceremony.’

He added the construction noise complaint was ‘one of several complaints we have asked to be investigated’ by the ABC.

Four Corners crews were granted access to film at the war memorial over several months but filmed the Last Post scenes on November 11, 2024.

The national broadcaster stands by ‘this important piece of public interest reporting by Mark Willacy and the Four Corners team.’

‘There is no implication in the program that the ceremony and the construction are occurring simultaneously,’ an ABC spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

‘There is a clear break in scene between the ceremony and the footage of the construction site. 

‘Both the ceremony and the Last Post are presented respectfully and in context.’

The memorial has lodged a complaint with ABC chairman Kim Williams (pictured) ‘regarding the misrepresentation of staff and activities’

The war memorial has ordered for construction to be halted during the Last Post Ceremony

It’s the second time in recent years the ABC has been accused of editing footage to vilify a military institution.

It comes after it’s own Media Watch program confirmed accusations aired by Channel Seven that a story by Willacy aired misleading audio alongside helmet cam footage while reporting on Special Forces Commander Heston Russell in 2022.

An audio expert claimed the sound of at least five gunshots were added to the footage to make it appear as though Australian soldiers were repeatedly firing at villagers rather than issuing a single warning shot.

The footage in question allegedly showed Australian Defence Force soldiers, including Mr Russell, shooting at unarmed civilians in Afghanistan from a helicopter in 2012.

The ABC stands by its Four Corners investigation on the Australian War Memorial (pictured)

Former special forces commando Heston Russell (pictured) previously appeared in doctored footage from the ABC

During the disturbing video, six gunshots could be heard. Channel Seven’s Spotlight alleged five of those shots were added by ABC News during post-production.

Mr Russell successfully sued the ABC last year for defamation in relation to the articles by Willacy.

The footage has since been removed from the ABC website, citing an ‘editing error’.

ABC News at the time told Media Watch it ‘has no evidence that reporter Mark Willacy directed anyone to change the audio on the (helicopter) video and to imply otherwise is false’.

‘Mark Willacy categorically denies any allegation that he directed or authorised any change to the audio in his story,’ it said.

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Australian War Memorial slams the ABC for using dirty tricks in controversial documentary

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