http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-09/morrow-responds-to-abc-suspension/4680066?section=sportDavid Morrow statement:
It's with a great deal of remorse and contrition that I am writing this apology.
I am very embarrassed and ashamed I have offended some people with my words on Monday night.
I am extremely distressed that my remarks which were accidentally heard on air have been reported and misinterpreted as racist against Indigenous Australians, and possibly offensive to Darwin citizens.
I know it is no excuse but I clearly didn't know we were on air. We were miked up in the broadcasting booth at Kogarah Oval and were not due to go on air until 7pm.
Unfortunately at 6.59pm the ABC station based in Wollongong crossed to the ground and without our knowledge started broadcasting what we were saying. We weren't told the broadcast would start at 1 minute to 7 instead of the normal 7 o'clock sharp.
During the minutes before we start calling a game I often engage in light-hearted banter with others in the booth and our sideline eye, who on this night was Shannon Byrne, who comes from Darwin.
While we were testing the microphones Shannon joked "lights are on but no-one's home". I joked back to her "is that what they say in Darwin?" and added, to give her a bit of a stir, "in fact they haven't even turned the lights on in Darwin yet have they?"
Here I was basically ribbing her that her home town doesn't have enough street lights. I was not intending this seriously. Shannon in the same light-hearted vein, replied "sometimes that doesn't even happen".
This put me in mind of a comment made to me in Atlanta, Georgia during the 1996 Olympics when a local Police officer who was part of our security warned us against the risk of walking through a nearby area which was pretty dark, because there weren't many working street lights. He had a deep southern accent and what he said was 'Dats da only way you can tell when there's anyone there, it's when dey smile". We all found this funny, including his deep southern accent.
The Atlanta policeman was obviously saying this because of his concerns for our safety if we ventured south of a certain street due to the bad lighting and high crime rate. His message was if you went there you wouldn't know you've got company until you see the smile and by then it'll be too late.
So when Shannon joked that sometimes the street lights don't go on in Darwin it quickly brought to mind what the Atlanta police officer had said.
I didn't tell Shannon the rest of the Atlanta story because we were about 20 seconds out from going to air at 7pm, when we always start Monday Night football broadcasts.
When chatting with work colleagues on radio while we're off the air I often draw on funny sayings I've heard during my 40 years in Radio and TV. What I accidentally said on air was only repeating a refrain from the 1996 Atlanta conversation, as part of swapping quips with Shannon on street lighting problems in some cities.
At no time did I set out to offend anyone. I have worked with and among a variety of people from many races and cultures and I have NEVER been accused of offensive behaviour.
I have been broadcasting for almost 42 years without a blemish.
I have great respect for the Indigenous aspect of this game and for grassroots football of all codes, I am so proud of all the NRL has accomplished with regard to the All Stars and admire the greats of this game.
Regards,
David Morrow
