Coronation coverage that caused Stan Grant to leave Q+A got 1,800 complaints, ABC boss reveals

The ABC’s Coronation coverage that led to Stan Grant stepping away as host of the Q&A program sparked about 1,800 complaints from the public, its managing director said.

Giving evidence at Senate estimates in Canberra, David Anderson said the complaints included about 60 lodged through the ABC’s official editorial complaints channel.

‘Some of it was in good faith, quite a lot of it was not in good faith,’ he said.

Hundreds of comments sent to the ABC consisted of racists attacks, while others said the Coronation discussion was worthwhile but poorly timed, Mr Anderson said.

Grant made the decision to leave Q&A last week after racism against him intensified, following his involvement in a panel discussion about the Coronation.

Hundreds of comments sent to the ABC consisted of racists attacks, while others said the Coronation discussion was worthwhile but poorly timed. King Charles and Queen Camilla are pictured

During the show, the veteran correspondent, who is Indigenous, pointed out that the crown represents the invasion and theft of Aboriginal land.

In the hearing on Wednesday Mr Anderson again apologised for letting Grant down by not publicly supporting him sooner.

He said he was worried about the ABC’s public facing staff and flagged a review of whether the organisation was doing enough to support its employees.

‘There is absolutely zero tolerance for racism of any kind and we want to be able to protect them,’ he said.

Mr Anderson said he was especially worried about first nations staff as the Indigenous Voice to parliament referendum approaches.

ABC’s David Anderson (pictured centre) said he was especially worried about first nations staff

News Director Justin Stevens read out several headlines attacking the ABC’s Coronation coverage that had been published in commercial media.

He said Grant had been subjected to relentless racism for a long period of time for doing his job and the Coronation coverage saw a spike in racial vitriol on social media.

‘We’re talking about a really large volume and torrent of racial abuse and threats to Stan and his family over the course of a number of days,’ he said.

He flagged that the national broadcaster would change how it supported staff who were subjected to vitriolic abuse.