ABC `SORRY' FOR DRUG QUESTION

The ABC was yesterday forced to apologise to the Prime Minister after Mr
Howard took offence when an interviewer asked him if heroin would be cheaper
under a GST.

The suggestion, which resulted from a misunderstanding between a program
presenter and her producer, came towards the end of a tense interview during
which Mr Howard accused the national broadcaster of biased election
coverage.

The interview with the ABC in Perth unleashed underlying tensions between
the Government and the national broadcaster, which has been under scrutiny
since being accused of bias during the maritime dispute earlier this year.

The state manager of the ABC in Perth, Mr Steve Altham, and the morning
program's host, Ms Verity James, yesterday apologised ``unreservedly'' in a
letter to Mr Howard for the ``entirely inappropriate'' question about
heroin. Ms James also apologised on-air.

``The question relating to tax policy and the price of illicit drugs was a
mistake arising from the misreading of briefing material. This was a serious
error of judgment,'' the letter to Mr Howard said.

The blunder occurred when Ms James's producer typed the presenter a message
seeking a ``gvt'' (Government) response to an Opposition media release
blaming federal funding cuts for drug deaths.

The message had been suggested by one of Mr Howard's minders, Mr Tony
O'Leary, and journalists who were sitting with the producer in an adjoining
studio.

But Ms James, who had not been briefed on the shadow justice minister,
Senator Nick Bolkus's claim - on which the question was based - that
Government policy had led to an increase in heroin deaths, read the ``gvt''
prompt as ``GST''.

She asked the Prime Minister: ``Is it (heroin) cheaper under a GST or is it
just cheaper?''

A startled Mr Howard replied: ``I'm sorry, what question are you trying
...?''

Ms James: ``Well, I was just reading it off ...''

Mr Howard: ``Well, you raised something about heroin and the GST. What are
you getting at?''

Ms James said she would get the question clarified.

Mr Howard: ``No, no. I think the whole idea of suggestion that the GST is in
some way tied up with heroin should not be left hanging in the air.''

Ms James: ``Sure. I will get that clarified.''

Moments later, the news intervened and the interview ended.

The Prime Minister was then involved in a heated, off-air discussion about
the episode with ABC staff. ABC sources said yesterday the mix-up was
explained to the Prime Minister, but he later told journalists he did not
get a satisfactory answer and had asked for an apology.

``The suggestion that in some way the GST is linked to heroin is just about
the most bizarre thing I've heard and I want an apology from the ABC without
qualification, and I expect to get it,'' he said.

The ABC's managing director, Mr Brian Johns, said the incident was
regrettable and he fully supported the on-air and written apologies issued
yesterday afternoon.

Mr Altham said last night that no disciplinary action would be taken against
Ms James but with the benefit of hindsight it might have been more
appropriate to have had a political reporter conduct the interview. He said
Ms James should not have put a ``half-baked'' question to the Prime
Minister. ``The fact is someone of that sort of experience should not have
asked that sort of question,'' he said.

Mr Altham said the blunder had been a ``great kick in the guts'' for the
ABC, which was under intense scrutiny and had ``bent over backwards to
ensure balance''. ``To be the one (station) that has let everyone down is a
bit distressing. We feel we have had the wind punched out of us.''

Earlier, Mr Howard and Ms James had engaged in tense exchanges about ABC
funding and election coverage and how Mr Howard was coping with the
campaign.

Mr Howard: ``I don't find campaigns particularly stressful. I go walking
every morning. I sleep well, I eat regularly, I talk to people, I am fairly
seasoned to election campaigns.''

Ms James: ``Hmm, you seem more tense as the campaign is going on.''

Mr Howard: ``What? Have you been following me around all day, have you?
Every day?''

Ms James: ``No, but I listen to what goes on.''

Ms James then asked if a coalition Government would match Labor's promise of
funding for the ABC. Mr Howard said the coalition would make a statement
during the campaign.

``We certainly have a strong commitment to keeping the ABC. I think, in
turn, the ABC has an obligation to behave in a very objective fashion when
it comes to election campaigns,'' Mr Howard said.

``And it doesn't always do so ... We have a commitment to continue to seek
objectivity on the part of the ABC during the election campaign ... the
ABC's coverage of this election campaign has not been balanced, no.''

Checked-by: Don Beck