July 28th 2024.
The person who holds the highest position at ABC, Kim Williams, has expressed his concern about the state of social harmony in Australia and the rest of the world. He believes that this issue is largely caused by the rise of social media and that politicians are also responsible for it. In his words, there is a breakdown of respectful disagreement in society, and it is the responsibility of the ABC to help rebuild it.
According to Williams, we need to work towards re-establishing the basic principles of respectful engagement between people who hold different opinions. In an interview on the podcast "Neil Mitchell Asks Why?", he shares his thoughts on the matter, saying, "I think our parliaments unfortunately all too often descend into slanging matches and that doesn't serve anyone's interest in advancing our society. Polarisation reigns at the moment."
During the interview, Williams also opens up about his personal experiences, including a visit from his deceased mother and his admiration for Judaism as a religion and a way of life. However, his main concern remains the breakdown of social cohesion in both public streets and political debates. He believes that the rise of digital technology has only worsened the situation, as it fuels polarity in a way that is almost explosive.
Williams is deeply worried about the threat to social cohesion in many parts of the world and believes that we all have a responsibility to address this issue in a positive and constructive manner. He says, "We all have a responsibility to try and address this and in a curative way, create a much better environment in which people can actually disagree on acceptably respectful terms." This is why he strongly believes that the ABC has a duty to remind all Australians of the pillars of their democracy.
While Williams was reluctant to criticize the ABC, he did express his opinion on broadcaster Phillip Adams, who recently retired from his role as the host of "Late Night Live" on Radio National after 33 years. Williams also firmly believes that the ABC should not be privatized and that it should not broadcast advertisements. However, he does feel that the government should provide more funding to the ABC, especially for important areas such as social cohesion. He says, "We certainly need more investment. Investment that is justified by the ABC in making a case to Government, in making a case for the work that needs to be done in areas such as social cohesion." This is why he believes that it is the responsibility of the ABC to remind all Australians of the importance of democracy and its pillars.
Neil Mitchell, a well-known commentator and broadcaster, hosts the podcast "Neil Mitchell Asks Why?" every Tuesday. Through this platform, he aims to spark meaningful discussions and debates on various important issues, including the state of social cohesion in our society.
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