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Federal Press Gallery ultimatum to Nauru

The Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery says if the ABC cannot attend the Pacific Island Forum in Nauru later this year, no Australian media will go.

Baron Divavesi Waqa
Nauru has accused the ABC of being disrespectful towards its president, Baron Waqa. (AAP) Source: AAP

The Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery won't cover Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's trip to Nauru for an international forum unless the tiny island nation reverses its ban on the ABC.

Earlier this week, the Nauruan government declared representatives from the public broadcaster would not be allowed on the island to cover the Pacific Islands Forum in September, alleging years of 'biased' reporting.

An ABC camera operator was to be part of a three-person Australian media pool at the forum in September, alongside a journalist and photographer from AAP.

Nauru called the ABC an "activist media organisation" and banned a camera operator from getting a visa for the trip.

Mr Turnbull says the tiny country has a right to reject visa applications ahead of the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum.

The Press Gallery says it's an "appalling restriction on press freedom" and the media pool that was meant to cover the event on behalf of all Australian media will be disbanded unless the ban is overturned.

The decision also won support from Labor leader Bill Shorten.


1 min read

Published

Updated

By Euna Cho



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