One of the ABC’s biggest stars - Tony Armstrong – who has just departed from breakfast television at the ABC – has been called out for "moonlighting" for a major insurance company while working at the ABC at the same time.

http://7news.com.au/news/abc-slams-its-own-host-tony-armstrong-for-unapproved-nrma-advertisement-work-days-before-his-contract-ends-c-16238082

The claims made by television program Media Watch have lead to a mixed response with some totally opposed to Tony's actions, stating people should not have multiple jobs whilst working for the ABC in a key role or you should at least make the ABC senior staff aware of any other jobs you have.

Others however have said the matter is nothing overly serious and laughed it off whilst some have raised racism as an issue in terms of a broader culture of racism at the ABC in terms of the debate.

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2024/oct/02/abc-news-director-calls-out-racist-attacks-on-tony-armstrong-and-criticises-inflammatory-mainstream-media

Personally, I don't want people taking on other jobs in private whilst working in any type of public service role. They should focus on their main job - and not be influenced by outside parties, businesses or other money. On the other hand, Tony here was just reading some material for an advertisement, is it really that bad?

A “mixed response”, eh? I would be surprised if 20% of the population were aware of it, let bothered with a response. The only Tony Armstrong I've heard of is Tony Armstrong-Jones, Princess Margaret's ex.

If this was the worst thing that the ABC's scribblers and yappers did, things wouldn't be as bad with the taxpayer sink-hole as they are.

This won't even raise a gasp among the twin-set and pearls ladles

I guess the first issue is whatever is stipulated in his employment contract.
If it states he can't take outside work without approval, then it's breach of contract.
- Nothing to do with any of us, it's between the ABC and his lawyers.

Me personally though, I have a problem with this idea that 'If you rent someones time' (employee) then you own that person'.
For me, you're just renting their time, and you have no right to say ANYTHING about what they do during the hours you're not paying them.

You can rent their time, or choose not to rent their time, but you don't get to dictate what they do outside work.

If they openly support Donald J. Trump on social media for example and the employer doesn't like it too bad.
The employer don't even have the right to bring it up.
It's none of their business.

This also includes expectations to turn up to work early and start work prior to your starting time, even if it's just 5 or 10 minutes.
The employer has no say whatsoever in what the employee does outside of work hours.

I grew up in the time when if you were employed by one
organization - you did not work for or give your time
to any other. It was part of your job contract. Your
loyalty was to your employer. Unless of course you did
charitable, voluntary community work - that was
considered different.

I suspect that in the case of Tony Armstrong - he'
wasn't too concerned about all this. He did not physically
appear in the ads - only his voice did. And he knew he was
leaving the ABC anyway - so he didn't think this mattered.

I does depend whether he breached his employment contract
or not. And what it said.

Armstrong was one of the few genuine, sincere voices on the ABC.

So of course he was always going to leave. Such people can't live forever in the confines of Australia's Pravda.

So of course the ABC was going to go after him once he decided to go.... You can check out any time you want, but you can never leave.

Isn't it funny how its impossible to criticise an Aboriginal voice on the ABC... except when they step off the range.

I'm sure that Stan Grant and many others will agree.

It appears quite common as Adam Goodes, and Antoinette
Lattouf can tell us.