THE ABC OF ANARCHY

How our national broadcaster tells kids about: * Making bombs * Making
ecstasy * Drug 'benefits'

AUSTRALIAN children have been learning how to make illicit drugs and bombs
by logging on to the ABC'S Internet site.

A section called What's Your Poison, located a click away from the Bananas
in Pyjamas and Playschool sites, suggests ecstasy is a safe drug and
outlines the "benefits" of marijuana and cigarettes.

Ecstasy is described as being "not as bad as we've been to believe" and
"few people tend to become addicted to ecstasy".

Other sites linked to the ABC site include recipes and instructions for
making ecstasy.

And the ABC's Triple J cool sites were linked to an American site called
Backyard Ballistics, which describes how to make explosive devices.

A disclaimer at the top of "blowing stuff up: a guy thing" says the
experiments are fantastically dangerous and could result in death or flesh
and bone exploding.

Kay Elson, federal Member for the south-east Queensland seat of Forde, said
the ABC had an obligation to clean up its site to ensure young people could
not access the information.

"The whole tone of this section glamorises illicit drugs and plays down the
dangers of marijuana and ecstasy, almost mocking the fact that they are
illegal," she said.

"This is the very same drug that is often used at rave parties and has
killed many Australian teenagers including a l5-year-oid Sydney schoolgirl
- - yet the ABC is directly promoting it."

The Herald Sun discovered Triple J yesterday removed the Backyard
Ballistics site after concerns were raised about its contents.

ABC online network manager Colin Griffith said while the public broadcaster
was responsible for what it published, it encouraged links to be
established with external sites.

He said he supported Triple J's decision to remove any site that could
cause harm.

"The Web site (What's Your Poison)coincided with a Quantum series on drugs,
both legal and illegal, which talked about the science behind drugs."

"The Web site doesn't condone or encourage drug use in any form."

Mrs Elson said she would pursue the matter all the way to Prime Minister
John Howard's office to ensure the site was improved.

"They (the ABC) are a taxpayer-funded organisation, have a respected
position as the national broadcaster and have an obvious responsibility to
the community - particularly younger Australians." she said.