The ABC went back to having its breakfast radio shift and its TV news in Canberra presented by two different people on Wednesday as part of the broadcaster's all-female line-up for International Women's Day.
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Aunty stirred things up when it appointed Dan Bourchier to both plum jobs, but for the International Women's Day gesture, he stepped aside so that Genevieve Jacobs could present breakfast and Siobhan Heanue could read the 7pm News on ABC TV.
Andrea Ho, the ABC Radio Canberra station manager, presented the mornings shift on Wednesday for the one-off all-female line-up.
Ho did make a slightly underwhelming remark that Adam Shirley, the usual drive presenter, was being "put to some use" on the day as a producer. But quickly followed that by saying just what a fantastic producer he was.
Georgia Stynes and Laura Tchilinguirian also completed the all-female local talent.
Some have described the ABC gesture as tokenistic while others, such as former Labor ACT Senator and Hawke government minister Susan Ryan, congratulated the national broadcaster.
One local insider reckoned: "At least one bloke was told to take the day off. That's equality? The word tokenism has been used more than once!
"And it's a shame because we have really strong and industry leading female presenters. We could have concentrated on selling that achievement."
