ABC presenter Emma Alberici accused of being a 'bully' after questioning Sky News host Caroline Marcus' column about gay marriage
- Lateline host Emma Alberici has been slammed for same-sex marriage stance
- Sky News journalist Caroline Marcus criticised a television interview last week
- The former A Current Affair reporters have engaged in a bitter Twitter spat since
- ABC manager Mark Maley emailed staff to avoid taking sides on gay marriage
Prominent ABC presenter Emma Alberici has been accused of bullying opponents of gay marriage.
Sky News journalist Caroline Marcus described the Lateline host in a newspaper column as 'one of the worst offenders' for using media interviews and Twitter to make the case for redefining marriage.
Last week, Alberici opened an interview with Acting Special Minister of State Mathias Cormann by mentioning a 15-year-old friend of her daughter who was kicked out of home when his parents discovered he was gay.
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Emma Alberici (left) told cabinet minister Mathias Cormann about a gay friend of her daughter
Former A Current Affair reporter Emma Alberici has tweeted arguments for gay marriage
Sassy in salmon: Caroline Marcus took exception to Emma Alberici's pink marriage views
'Now whilst you and your colleagues are bickering in your party room, aren't you concerned about the message you send to young, vulnerable gay and lesbian Australians that they don't deserve the same treatment as other Australians?',' she asked.
Marcus, who like Alberici is a former A Current Affair reporter, slammed that interview.
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'While terribly sad, Alberici doesn't explain how legalising same-sex marriage will soften the hardened attitudes of those already so homophobic they can't accept their own gay children,' she said.
Since that column appeared in The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday, Alberici has engaged in a Twitter spat with Marcus.
Emma Alberici was defensive on Twitter following Caroline Marcus' column slamming her
Sky News journalist Caroline Marcus described the bullying accusation as 'disgusting'
'Asking a question about the vulnerability of young gay & lesbian Australians has seen me labelled an activist bully. Seriously,' Alberici tweeted.
Marcus replied on Twitter: 'Who have I bullied Emma? That's a disgusting accusation to make.'
Alberici has continued to champion gay marriage in a series of tweets, despite a staff directive last week from the ABC's editorial policy manager Mark Maley reminding employees to be 'circumspect' on social media as the federal government embarks on a same-sex marriage postal vote.
'Advocating for one side or the other will make it more difficult for the ABC to be seen as impartial. The more high-profile you are the more important discretion is,' his email said.
Emma Alberici had asked a senior minister if political bickering was harming young gays
Lateline presenter Emma Alberici tweeted in favour of gay marriage after ABC memo to staff
The ABC presenter tweeted 'no' case supporters were 'denying marriage' to a loving couple
However, Alberici has appeared to ignore this memo by publishing a series of tweets that appeared to favour changing the Marriage Act.
'I understand the arguments in favour of same-sex marriage. Please tweet me your reasons to deny marriage to a loving, same-sex couple,' she said.
Earlier, the she said Australia was lagging behind other first-world nations.
'Australia is the only English-speaking democracy not to have legislated same-sex marriage,' she said.
Mr Maley's staff memo pointed out that 40 per cent of Australians opposed gay marriage.
'It is very important that we are impartial and that all perspectives are given a fair hearing and treated with respect by the ABC,' his email said.
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