Kudos to Dr Megan Poore of The Women’s Advocate for her recent appearance at the National Press Club on 19 November 2025. Poore pressed ABC Managing Director Hugh Marks about the ABC’s relationship with ACON. Marks fumbled the question stating “As I understand it, the ACON relationship, was driven out of a people and culture relationship. I think we sponsor an event.”
He continued, “I would say we’ve gone to ACON people from time to time in some of the editorial coverage that we’ve done”. Was he referring to comments made to journalists on background, or was he referring to editorial guidance on how to represent the issues of sex and gender?
Unsatisfied with the brush-off, Dr Poore reiterated her question:
The question’s about governance and accountability. On sex and gender, ACON assesses content, and the ABC systematically sources LGBTQ+ advocacy organisations – ACON, Equality Australia, AusPATH – yet excludes women’s rights organisations. Again, will you commission that audit, and table it to Parliament, or will you withdraw from ACON?
He added that he was having a conversation with the head of news about the adequacy of ABC coverage in the areas of LGBTQ+ advocacy and women’s rights.
The Women’s Advocate have published a comprehensive clarion call for a board review of ABC”s relationship with ACON, including Mr Marks’ comments made after the cameras stopped rolling. Dr Poore again pressed the issue of a review into the ABC’s relationship with ACON in an unrecorded follow-up question with Mr Marks responding twice: “I’m on it”.
We hope that this interaction gives Mr Marks food for thought, and he commences his own investigations into the ABC’s relationship with ACON. At the very least, the room full of journalists at the National Press Club pay attention.