PETER VAN ONSELEN: The Hawthorn 'racism' saga put the club's coaches through hell and back before they were eventually cleared. So will the ABC apologise?

Here we go again, another example of allegations treated as facts, reported on and thrashed over on social media, damaging reputations but ultimately found to be unsubstantiated and very likely untrue.

The Hawthorn 'racism' saga hit the headlines almost two years ago when the ABC reported on accusations that the club's coaching staff during its golden years from 2008 to 2015 took part in a subculture of racism.

The named coaches including Alastair Clarkson and Chris Fagan were alleged to have pressured the partner of an indigenous player to have an abortion, and demanded the separation of indigenous families to improve player performances.

The coaching staff denied the allegations but the damage was done. Their reputations were smeared, their mental health adversely affected.

Well guess what, nearly two years on and a former federal court judge, no less, has found that there was 'no basis whatsoever' to support the subculture of racism claims.

The separation of families allegation was 'lacking in evidence'. Overall the ex-judge concluded the scandal had 'a startling lack of evidence' to support the damaging allegations being made.

Did that stop them being reported as fact in advance of proper judgement? Of course not. The ABC broke the story and happily fed what we now know is a false narrative of racism at the Hawthorn football club.

What an utter disgrace.

As the CEO of the ABC, David Anderson, prepares to front senate estimates this afternoon where he'll no doubt be questioned about another case of a senior ABC reporter throwing barbs of racism around a room, these examples sadly aren't isolated within the public broadcaster.

Top ABC political reporter Laura Tingle told the Sydney Writers Festival that Australia is a racist country and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton's policies are stoking that racism. Hunting down facts to support the allegations was nowhere to be seen. 

Her news director gave her a slap on the wrist yesterday and Tingle released a statement defending herself. 'Case closed' will no doubt be Anderson's response to questions today.

Defenders of the ABC like to regard it as a cut above commercial media. Yet the ABC has once again been found wanting on the facts once they are properly investigated.

I wonder if Anderson will privately apologise to those defamed Hawthorn coaches? Expressing his disappointment with what the organisation he allegedly runs did. He's done it before, away from the public glare which might catch the attention of his reporters who never seem to resile from their mistakes.