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And all charged to the taxpayer - along with billions for other Labor follies and grandeurs not criticised by the ABC:
taxpayers’ money on a jaunt, and one that compromised her responsibility
as an ABC presenter to seem impartial?
The emails:
Date: Tuesday, April 16, 2013, 4.35 PM
FROM: Juanita Phillips
TO: Alan Sunderland; Donald Lange
SUBJECT: Daily Tele
Dear Alan and Don,
Just alerting you to another spotfire. Recently while on annual leave, I
accompanied Greg — in a private capacity, as his partner — to Europe
where he was having climate change meetings and was the keynote speaker
at an EU carbon price conference. The Daily Tele has got onto this and
is going to make something of it.
The Prime Minister’s office has go
ne over the trip with a fine toothcomb
and says all guidelines have been adhered to, and they’re very
comfortable defending it. Ministers are entitled to have their partners
travel with them, subject to strict guidelines, and approval by the
Prime Minister’s office. Both of these criteria have been met.
Juanita Phillips and Greg Combet / Picture: Craig Greenhill
Juanita Phillips and Greg Combet / Picture: Craig Greenhill Source: News Limited
There’s no suggestion of anything inappropriate — presumably it will
just be the usual beat-up about politicians’ overseas trips. From my
point of view, I was on annual leave, and my role was purely personal.
I’m not sure when this story will appear, but hopefully it will blow over in a day.
Let me know if you want to have a chat about it.
Cheers
Juanita
***
Date: Thursday, April 18, 2013, 3.54 PM
FROM: Alan Sunderland
TO: Sally Cray
SUBJECT: RE: I have some questions for the ABC in relation to Juanita Phillips
Heads up — the expected story looks like it’s on the way.
It’s a little tricky, because we are being specifically asked if we were aware of the trip in advance.
I have discussed all this at length with Sally Cray and what she will be saying (via email) to (the journalist) is:-
*We are aware of the situation
*Juanita was on leave at the time.
*She is perfectly entitled to travel with her partner, and we understand
Mr Combet is also perfectly entitled to travel with an accompanying
partner on such trips.
*Juanita has always been upfront and clear about her relationship with the ABC.
*As with all other situations with ABC editorial staff, we consider and
manage conflicts as they arise. We do not believe that legitimate
private like this creates an editorial conflict.
***
Date: Thursday, April 18, 2013 4.29 PM
FROM: Sally Cray
TO: Alan Sunderland; Kate Torney; Donald Lange
SUBJECT: Tele
Went with Mick and Alan’s advice that less is more on this one. We
figured he has the story written and these will be three lines at the
end.
I didn’t insert the no editorial conflict line as I thought — better to
play dead in case he has something in his story we are not aware of.
And all charged to the taxpayer - along with billions for other Labor follies and grandeurs not criticised by the ABC:
How did Phillips think she was morally entitled to spend so much
PANICKED ABC management believed star newsreader Juanita Phillips left them in a “tricky” position after blindsiding them over her controversial $72,000 taxpayer-funded European first class trip with Labor lover Greg Combet.
Emails reveal the $320,000-a-year star only told her superiors about the
10-day climate change ministerial trip with Mr Combet, who held the
portfolio at the time, through France, Germany and Belgium last year
upon her return and after it was raised with the Gillard government.
But ABC head of editorial policy Alan Sunderland instead planned to tell
the public the ABC 24 host and Sydney news anchor had “always been
upfront and clear” with the ABC about the romance…
The ABC attempted to downplay the lack of prior knowledge of the trip,
saying Ms Phillips did not have to seek permission, that it was later
found to be within ABC guidelines anyway and that the broadcaster had
always provided a “high degree of transparency” dealing with the
issue...”
Six months after ABC chiefs plotted how to handle the romance’s
conflict-of-interest concerns, it was revealed the 10-day trip racked up
$57,673 on airfares, $8914 on hotels and meals and $4634 on ground
transport for Mr Combet to attend meetings and a climate conference.
taxpayers’ money on a jaunt, and one that compromised her responsibility
as an ABC presenter to seem impartial?
The emails:
Date: Tuesday, April 16, 2013, 4.35 PM
FROM: Juanita Phillips
TO: Alan Sunderland; Donald Lange
SUBJECT: Daily Tele
Dear Alan and Don,
Just alerting you to another spotfire. Recently while on annual leave, I
accompanied Greg — in a private capacity, as his partner — to Europe
where he was having climate change meetings and was the keynote speaker
at an EU carbon price conference. The Daily Tele has got onto this and
is going to make something of it.
The Prime Minister’s office has go
ne over the trip with a fine toothcomb
and says all guidelines have been adhered to, and they’re very
comfortable defending it. Ministers are entitled to have their partners
travel with them, subject to strict guidelines, and approval by the
Prime Minister’s office. Both of these criteria have been met.
Juanita Phillips and Greg Combet / Picture: Craig Greenhill
Juanita Phillips and Greg Combet / Picture: Craig Greenhill Source: News Limited
There’s no suggestion of anything inappropriate — presumably it will
just be the usual beat-up about politicians’ overseas trips. From my
point of view, I was on annual leave, and my role was purely personal.
I’m not sure when this story will appear, but hopefully it will blow over in a day.
Let me know if you want to have a chat about it.
Cheers
Juanita
***
Date: Thursday, April 18, 2013, 3.54 PM
FROM: Alan Sunderland
TO: Sally Cray
SUBJECT: RE: I have some questions for the ABC in relation to Juanita Phillips
Heads up — the expected story looks like it’s on the way.
It’s a little tricky, because we are being specifically asked if we were aware of the trip in advance.
I have discussed all this at length with Sally Cray and what she will be saying (via email) to (the journalist) is:-
*We are aware of the situation
*Juanita was on leave at the time.
*She is perfectly entitled to travel with her partner, and we understand
Mr Combet is also perfectly entitled to travel with an accompanying
partner on such trips.
*Juanita has always been upfront and clear about her relationship with the ABC.
*As with all other situations with ABC editorial staff, we consider and
manage conflicts as they arise. We do not believe that legitimate
private like this creates an editorial conflict.
***
Date: Thursday, April 18, 2013 4.29 PM
FROM: Sally Cray
TO: Alan Sunderland; Kate Torney; Donald Lange
SUBJECT: Tele
Went with Mick and Alan’s advice that less is more on this one. We
figured he has the story written and these will be three lines at the
end.
I didn’t insert the no editorial conflict line as I thought — better to
play dead in case he has something in his story we are not aware of.
