Formal complaint regarding ABC Hobart reporting and the continued characterisation of Women Speak Tasmania as “anti-trans” – Letter to the ABC Ombudsman

Sep 10, 2026

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Letter to ABC Ombudsman Fiona Cameron on 10 September 2026

On 10 September 2026, Women Speak Tasmania wrote to ABC Ombudsman Fiona Cameron concerning ABC News Tasmania’s reporting of WST in the report “Tasmania’s Deputy Premier Guy Barnett potentially at odds with premier over conversion ban”, by state political reporter Josh Duggan, published online and broadcast on ABC television on 29 August 2026. The report concerned Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Guy Barnett’s concerns about the Greens’ proposed Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill 2026 and included WST’s call for a parliamentary inquiry. WST was contacted by the reporter and provided the Attorney-General’s letter, but WST President Dr Elizabeth Caballero was not interviewed for either the television report or the accompanying online coverage.

The complaint follows a response from ABC Tasmania Editor Emily Bryan to ten complaints about the report. While Ms Bryan acknowledged that:

“women’s rights advocacy group” may have been a more precise and neutral description of WST

The report itself described WST as an “anti-trans” and feminist group. WST’s complaint therefore questions why a contested characterisation was used instead of a more accurate description of the organisation and raises concerns about the broader editorial treatment of WST, including the omission of the full nature of WST’s call for a Parliamentary Inquiry into Affirmative Care and Conversion Practices.

WST has asked the Ombudsman to consider these issues not as an isolated dispute over terminology, but in the context of a broader pattern of ABC Hobart reporting concerning sex, gender and women’s rights. The complaint raises concerns about accuracy, impartiality, diversity of perspectives and fair and honest dealing, including the repeated use of “anti-trans” terminology and the limited opportunities WST has been given to participate directly in ABC reporting despite its longstanding public advocacy and extensive published policy material.