Talkback host Jones to return to court

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Talkback host Jones to return to court

By Ellen Connolly

February 10, 2008 01:00am
Article from: The Sunday Telegraph



CONTROVERSIAL radio talkback host Alan Jones has been ordered back to
court over another attack on the Muslim community.

A year after Jones was found guilty of breaching the industry's code
of practice, Jones and his employer, leading Sydney radio station 2GB,
have been accused of racial vilification and inciting violence against
Muslims.

The case was brought by father-of-eight Sam Ekermawi, of Moorebank. Mr
Ekermawi first lodged his complaint with the Anti-Discrimination Board
in 2005.

Since then he has been embroiled in a long-running legal fight to have
the station and Jones apologise.

Last week, the Administrative Decisions Tribunal granted him leave to
reopen the case. In evidence which will be heard, Mr Ekermawi claims
that on July 21, 22 and 25, Jones used offensive comments, which
incited hatred against Muslims.

He said Jones stated on his program: "There is a fight between Muslims
and Christians and Muslims are unable to live within Australian
communities."

Mr Ekermawi said the commentary sparked numerous phone calls from
listeners who continued "with an onslaught of Islamic hatred". Some
said Muslims should be deported.

The "very poisonous propaganda" was followed by a song played on the
radio called "My Australia".

It is not the first time Jones and 2GB have had to answer claims of
racial vilification. In April last year, Jones and his employer were
found guilty of breaching the industry's code of practice by inciting
violence during the Cronulla riots.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority found Jones
broadcast material "that was likely to encourage violence or brutality
and to vilify people of Lebanese and Middle Eastern backgrounds on the
basis of ethnicity".

In the latest case, Mr Ekermawi first took the matter to the Anti-
Discrimination Board in 2006. It declined his claim because the
transcripts provided were inconsistent with his allegations.

An appeal was lodged, with the full transcripts, and heard while Mr
Ekermawi was overseas. Mr Ekermawi submitted that the complaint
"should be revived in the interests of justice".

The tribunal last week agreed, saying the Anti-Discrimination Board
"did not have all of the relevant information" at the time it made its
original ruling.

It had believed incorrectly that Mr Ekermawi did not wish to pursue
his complaint. This was not true.

The Ekermawi-Jones case will be heard later this year

See also.
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