Australians Rally Against ABC's Ties to LGBTQ+ Group, Cite Bias in Transgender Coverage

Sydney, Australia - As Australia's national broadcaster faces mounting scrutiny over its impartiality, a petition demanding the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) cut its alliance with ACON, a leading health organization formerly known as the AIDS Council of New South Wales, is headed to parliament on Monday, February 9, backed by over 1,260 signatures and fueled by claims of biased reporting on transgender issues.

The "ABC out of ACON" campaign, spearheaded by Phillip Dye, a former biology educator and media lecturer at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), points to conflict of interest on the part of the broadcaster.

Dye, who has battled tongue cancer and continues to advocate through his podcast "Philtered," says the fight is about restoring trust in taxpayer-funded journalism, not attacking the respected organizations involved.

"The ABC is full of good people as is ACON. The ABC however, pays ACON membership fees, and is then rewarded for their recruitment practices, content and news coverage.

"This puts them in serious breach of their charter and code of conduct," Dye says.

"The ABC could link with any number of organisations that won’t influence content or news.

"The Smith Family or the Moriarty Foundation for Indigenous Children are two.

"At a time when transgender medical practice is being questioned by doctors worldwide, the ABC-ACON alliance is a contentious one," he says.

Dye's journey into activism began with his founding of the Declaration of Biological Truth Australia, a group that has amassed over 5,000 signatures from scientists, doctors, teachers, politicians and entertainers, emphasizing biological sex over gender ideology.

For Dye, the issue hits close to home as a cancer survivor who hasn't let health challenges silence him, he sees the ABC's alleged bias as a betrayal of vulnerable Australians, including children exposed to what he calls "gender madness."

Studies cited in the petition, including one authored by Dye, accuse the ABC of ignoring critical news on transgender topics while framing positive opinion pieces as factual reporting.

Partly fueling the controversy, Dye said, is the broadcaster's Platinum Status award from ACON, for its culture and content supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and asexual (LGBTQA) communities, is portrayed as evidence of undue influence.

Supporters like those on the Change.org petition echo Dye's concerns, sharing stories of eroded trust.

One signer, only identified as Bill from Adelaide, wrote that "the ABC must remain committed to genuine independent journalism, not to advocacy. When a public broadcaster is financially or symbolically rewarded for supporting activist lobby groups like ACON, its editorial neutrality is compromised."

Another, one Victoria from Adelaide, said there is no room for biases, political or otherwise, in a public broadcaster.

"The ABC is our broadcaster. There is no place for political agendas run from within the organisation. I don't want MY broadcaster to be a mouthpiece for any political party, including Trans activism," she said.

The e-petition, set for presentation in the House of Representatives, argues the alliance violates the ABC Charter's requirements for independence and impartial news presentation.

It calls on the ABC Board to end the relationship, ensuring the broadcaster prioritizes objective journalism over external agendas.

Recent admissions by the ABC, that it "could have done better" in covering a landmark Family Court judgment critical of a Melbourne gender clinic, have only intensified the debate, with critics pointing to years of perceived promotion of gender ideology.

ACON, which evolved from AIDS awareness to broader LGBTQ+ health and inclusion efforts, including workplace programs, has not responded to requests for comment.

The ABC also declined to comment, but both entities are widely regarded for their contributions to public health and media.