An unprecedented move for the data of the Australian – and not only – journalism, was made by the Australian public television network, ABC.
In particular, and according to a post on its website, ABC apologizes to Archbishop Makarios of Australia, for an article published by the network in relation to the Archdiocese’s nursing homes on April 16.
The ABC statement said the article was not intended to imply that Archbishop Makarios “had personally donated money from St. Basils to the Church or that he had personally spent money intended for the care of the elderly, for his own lifestyle”.
In addition, the statement said that “On 16 April 2021, the ABC published an article about the conduct of the Greek Orthodox Church in Australia in connection with its aged care facilities.
The ABC wishes to clarify that this story was not intended to suggest that Archbishop Makarios of Australia had personally funneled money from St Basils to the Greek Orthodox Church, or that he had personally spent money intended for aged care on his own lifestyle.
Further, the story was not intended to suggest that Archbishop Makarios had through any action on his part negligently caused the deaths of the 45 residents at the St Basil aged care home in Melbourne. Any such interpretation of the article is incorrect.
To the extent any readers understood the story in this way, the ABC apologizes to Archbishop Makarios for any hurt or offense experienced. This was never ABC’s intention “.
It is recalled that the Archdiocese of Australia in a statement at the same time, had refuted this publication while providing ABC with more reliable information that refutes the claims made during the alleged investigation.
In conclusion, the Archdiocese said it would not be distracted from false statements, would continue its ministry while asking for an apology to the Archbishop, and the faithful of the Holy Archdiocese from the ABC.
The Archdiocese of Australia had stated that much of ABC’s “information” and “sources” unfortunately come from individuals who have already been brought to justice for their reprehensible actions against the Archdiocese and its Institutions, from individuals who have lost property, who are now deprived of unjust privileges and who are unable to accept the new reality of order, purity, social welfare and sensitivity, with which the Archdiocese of Australia and the Archbishop himself face the flock and the Greek Diaspora”.
It is worth noting that the issue was also mentioned in the column of orthodoxtimes.com, “Melchisedek”, commenting among other things that “Against Archbishop Makarios, as they inform me, are relatives and friends of his predecessor who did not fathom the change and lost the privileges and what they had achieved for so many decades are against the Archbishop.”