Back in 2021, we wrote about Media Watch’s apparent bias in reporting on the medicalisation of trans-identified minors. At the time, Dr Michelle Telfer was the head of the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne’s Children’s Gender Clinic. She had made a 42-page complaint to the Australian Press Council about reporting on gender clinics by Bernard Lane in The Australian newspaper. Only 5 out of 12 alleged breaches were upheld, with Media Watch preferring to focus on the viewpoints of Dr Telfer than explore the issues evenly.
On 15 August 2022, Media Watch noted that the “ABC Skips Tavistock” closure in the UK, Paul Barry accuses the ABC of being “one-sided” and “ignoring legitimate debate”. On 17 October 2022, Paul Barry fronted an episode of Media Watch criticising the ABC’s relationship with lobby group ACON.
In light of the Cass Review, ABC’s activist reporting of gender issues has aged like vinegar, not like a fine wine.
Paul Barry, we’d like to suggest that you revisit your earlier remarks about the reporting in The Australian now that the Cass Review has exposed the lack of a global evidence base for, and acknowledged the risks and harms of children’s gender medicine.
Source: ABC Reporting Aged Like Vinegar, Not Wine – Women’s Cooee