'Racist' Oz broadcaster Morrow spared 'the sack', but banned from marquee events this season

Veteran Australian sports commentator David Morrow will not be sacked by ABC Radio for his racist remarks, but will be banned from working during this season's marquee rugby league events so that he can complete training and cultural awareness programs.

Morrow, Rugby League caller and the voice of National Rugby League (NRL) for ABC Radio, was suspended by the national broadcaster management over his racist comments on Darwin Aborigines, in which he had made a jibe about electricity not yet available in the Northern territory capital, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

However, Morrow had claimed that he was referencing a 17-year-old conversation he had with an Atlanta police officer when 'racist' remarks were mistakenly broadcast throughout the Illawarra region.

In a statement, ABC said that Morrow would continue to stay off air until the completion of the training, adding that he has agreed to work with the NRL Indigenous Council on a program of cultural awareness, and undertake further training in the areas of discrimination and appropriate workplace behaviour.

Stating that Morrow has insisted that he did not intend for his comments to be broadcast or cause offence, ABC, however, said that Morrow was in breach of its code of practice, specifically where employees must 'avoid the unjustified use of stereotypes or discriminatory content that could reasonably be interpreted as condoning or encouraging prejudice.'

The ABC further stated that it is essential to maintain trust with its audiences and with those who participate in or are otherwise directly affected by ABC content, adding that it accepts that a public broadcaster should never harm or offend, specially in context of the issues of discrimination and prejudice.

The ABC also stated that Morrow understands that there are certain responsibilities that come from working at a public media institution and that as a senior broadcaster he has a responsibility to set the standards of behaviour for his colleagues.