Issued by:
bungaree.org, guriNgai.org, A Long Con Gone on Too Long, and Marramarra Carigal

---

Executive Summary

This position paper details the ethical and evidentiary basis for our hesitancy to engage with Coast Community News (CCN) in any collaborative or consultative capacity. The paper draws on the AIATSIS Code of Ethics, the MEAA Journalist Code of Ethics, MEAA Guidelines on Reporting Hate Speech and Extremism, and a substantial body of research documenting CCN’s role in facilitating fraudulent claims, settler simulation, and the undermining of Aboriginal authority and data integrity. Engagement may be reconsidered if substantial, demonstrable reform occurs at CCN.

1. Introduction

The Central Coast is experiencing a globally recognised crisis of Aboriginal identity appropriation, where organized non-Aboriginal actors exploit media platforms to simulate Indigenous custodianship for personal, political, and material gain (guringai.org, 2023). Coast Community News has become a significant enabler of these harms, regularly publishing unverified, culturally dangerous, and at times racially harmful content that undermines Indigenous cultural governance and sovereignty (bungaree.org, 2025a; guringai.org, 2025a).

2. Failure to Meet Ethical Standards in Reporting

2.1. MEAA and AIATSIS Codes: The Standard

Under the MEAA Journalist Code of Ethics and Hate Speech Guidelines, journalists must not “place unnecessary emphasis on personal characteristics including race, ethnicity, nationality, gender…,” must “report and interpret honestly, striving for accuracy, fairness and disclosure of all essential facts,” and must not “provide a platform for racism or hate speech” (MEAA, 1999/2024, para. 2; MEAA, 2019, p. 1). The AIATSIS Code of Ethics further mandates that identity claims be verified by descent, self-identification, and community recognition (AIATSIS, 2020).

2.2. CCN’s Breaches: Amplifying Fraud and Settler Simulation

CCN has repeatedly published stories uncritically platforming fabricated claims by the non-Aboriginal GuriNgai group, Jake Cassar, and the Coast Environmental Alliance (CEA), without seeking verification from recognized Aboriginal authorities or statutory bodies such as DLALC, MLALC, or AIATSIS (guringai.org, 2024a, 2025d; bungaree.org, 2025b). This contravenes MEAA Clause 1 (accuracy and fairness), Clause 2 (racial emphasis), and Clause 8 (exploitation of ignorance or vulnerability), as well as the AIATSIS requirement for community-led verification.

2.3. Platforming Hate Speech, False Balance, and Racial Vilification

MEAA’s Hate Speech Guidelines state that journalism intending to vilify on the basis of race is “outside what is considered ethical journalism” (MEAA, 2019). By providing a platform for impostor claims and settler cult groups, while marginalizing or ignoring legitimate Aboriginal voices, CCN not only gives a false balance but facilitates epistemic and cultural violence (Gelber & McNamara, 2013; Moreton-Robinson, 2015). These actions are not victimless—they create direct and indirect harm, deepen lateral violence, and violate the principles of truth-telling and cultural safety.

3. Direct and Indirect Harms Caused by CCN’s Conduct

CCN’s editorial choices have inflicted:

Cultural Harm: Erasure and delegitimization of authentic Aboriginal histories, communities, and knowledge, resulting from the repeated elevation of fabricated claimants (bungaree.org, 2025d; guringai.org, 2025d).

Resource Diversion: Grants, awards, and policy spaces are diverted from legitimate Aboriginal people to impostor figures, undermining “Closing the Gap” initiatives and corrupting official datasets (bungaree.org, 2025e; guringai.org, 2025e).

Psychological Harm: Increased lateral violence, trauma, and community division, as Aboriginal people are forced to defend legitimacy against empowered impostors (bungaree.org, 2025f).

Sovereignty Erosion: Public platforming of non-Aboriginal claimants directly undermines Aboriginal self-determination and governance (Moreton-Robinson, 2015; bungaree.org, 2025g).

These harms are compounded when the press neglects its duty to consult, verify, and respect Indigenous authority, thereby violating both MEAA and AIATSIS ethical mandates.

4. The Weaponisation of Environmental Populism and Conspirituality

CCN has provided uncritical coverage to the Coast Environmental Alliance and Jake Cassar, groups documented as advancing settler-colonial and conspiratorial agendas under the guise of environmental activism (bungaree.org, 2025i; guringai.org, 2025g). These actors have obstructed Aboriginal-led development, spread misinformation, and engaged in cultic and “conspiritual” tactics that constitute a digital recolonisation and perpetuation of “white possession” (Moreton-Robinson, 2015).

5. Institutional Accountability and Pathways to Reform

Given the evidence above, our collective cannot endorse or participate in any partnership, consultation, or project with Coast Community News unless the following reforms are implemented:

Editorial and Structural Reform: Rigorous identity verification and direct consultation with recognised Aboriginal Land Councils and statutory bodies, in compliance with MEAA and AIATSIS standards.

Retraction and Correction: Immediate public correction or retraction of all articles that amplify fraudulent identity and custodianship claims.

Transparent Apology: A formal public apology to all Aboriginal communities harmed by prior reporting.

Ongoing Accountability: Establishment of Indigenous oversight in editorial decisions and mechanisms for continuous review by Aboriginal representatives.

Engagement with CCN before these reforms would violate the ethical obligations set by AIATSIS, MEAA, and our commitment to Aboriginal cultural authority and data sovereignty (AIATSIS, 2020; MEAA, 1999/2024).

6. Summary and Path Forward

Our position is rooted not in isolated incidents, but in a sustained and well-documented pattern of institutional failure by Coast Community News, which has caused, and continues to cause, serious harm to Aboriginal people and communities. We reiterate that the door remains open for engagement, contingent on CCN’s transparent and demonstrable reform in line with the MEAA Journalist Code of Ethics, Hate Speech Guidelines, and AIATSIS protocols.

We urge all institutions and partners to evaluate their relationship with CCN in light of these documented breaches, and to commit to upholding the highest standards of journalistic and cultural ethics.

References

Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. (2020). AIATSIS Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research. https://aiatsis.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-10/aiatsis-code-ethics.pdf

bungaree.org. (2025a). Victim impact statements. https://bungaree.org/victim-impact-statements/

bungaree.org. (2025b). Five minute summary: The GuriNgai and CEA are cults. https://bungaree.org/2025/07/15/five-minute-summary-the-guringai-and-cea-are-cults/

bungaree.org. (2025c). Five minute summary: Simulated custodianship and the housing crisis on the Central Coast. https://bungaree.org/2025/07/14/five-minute-summary-simulated-custodianship-and-the-housing-crisis-on-the-central-coast/

bungaree.org. (2025d). Five minute summary: White possession, settler conspirituality, and the Guringai cult. https://bungaree.org/2025/07/15/five-minute-summary-white-possession-settler-conspirituality-and-the-guringai-cult-indigenous-identity-fraud-as-neocolonial-violence-in-contemporary-australia/

bungaree.org. (2025e). Five minute summary: Widening the gap. https://bungaree.org/2025/07/15/five-minute-summary-widening-the-gap/

bungaree.org. (2025f). Victim impact statements. https://bungaree.org/victim-impact-statements/

bungaree.org. (2025g). Appeal to Commonwealth Ombudsman over Kariong development. https://bungaree.org/2025/06/25/appeal-to-commonwealth-ombudsman-over-kariong-development/

bungaree.org. (2025h). Indigenous identity fraud discussions in the press. https://bungaree.org/indigenous-identity-fraud-discussions-in-the-press

bungaree.org. (2025i). Five minute summary: The False Mirror. https://bungaree.org/2025/07/15/five-minute-summary-the-false-mirror-settler-environmentalism-identity-fraud-and-the-undermining-of-aboriginal-sovereignty-on-the-central-coast/

bungaree.org. (2025j). Five minute summary: Blak knowing, settler conspirituality, and misuse of settler belief in contemporary Australia. https://bungaree.org/2025/07/14/five-minute-summary-blak-knowing-settler-conspirituality-and-misuse-of-settler-belief-in-contemporary-australia/

bungaree.org. (2025k). Five minute summary: Allegations of Indigenous identity appropriation and fraud: The Guringai case in New South Wales. https://bungaree.org/2025/07/14/five-minute-summary-allegations-of-indigenous-identity-appropriation-and-fraud-the-guringai-case-in-new-south-wales/

guringai.org. (2024a). Coast Community News faces accusations of biased reporting. https://guringai.org/2024/01/26/coast-community-news-faces-accusations-of-biased-reporting/

guringai.org. (2025a). Jake Cassar and Coast Environmental Alliance (CEA). https://guringai.org/2025/06/17/jake-cassar-and-coast-environmental-alliance-cea/

guringai.org. (2025b). Save Kincumber Wetlands: The weaponisation of misinformation. https://guringai.org/2025/06/26/save-kincumber-wetlands-the-weaponisation-of-misinformation/

guringai.org. (2025c). Alt-right conspiracies and the Pretendian phenomenon in Australia. https://guringai.org/2025/06/13/alt-right-conspiracies-and-the-pretendian-phenomenon-in-australia/

guringai.org. (2025d). Coast Community News, the Guringai group, and the reframing of Aboriginal custodianship on the Central Coast. https://guringai.org/2025/06/12/coast-community-news-the-guringai-group-and-the-reframing-of-aboriginal-custodianship-on-the-central-coast/

guringai.org. (2025e). The sacred and the simulacrum: Blak knowing, settler conspirituality, and Indigenous identity appropriation and fraud in contemporary Australia. https://guringai.org/2025/07/14/the-sacred-and-the-simulacrum-blak-knowing-settler-conspirituality-and-indigenous-identity-appropriation-and-fraud-in-contemporary-australia/

guringai.org. (2025f). Conspirituality in Australia. https://guringai.org/2025/07/07/conspirituality-in-australia/

guringai.org. (2025g). The saving Kariong sacred lands campaign and the digital recolonisation of Aboriginal authority. https://guringai.org/2025/06/30/the-saving-kariong-sacred-lands-campaign-and-the-digital-recolonisation-of-aboriginal-authority/

guringai.org. (2025h). The Vanishing Tribe reimagined: The Guringai, settler desire, and the performance of Indigeneity in contemporary Australia. https://guringai.org/2025/06/23/the-vanishing-tribe-reimagined-the-guringai-settler-desire-and-the-performance-of-indigeneity-in-contemporary-australia/

Kwok, N. (2015). Anthropological report for the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council: The Guringai Question. MLALC.

Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance. (1999/2024). MEAA Journalist Code of Ethics. https://www.meaa.org/meaa-media/code-of-ethics/

Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance. (2019). Guidelines on Reporting Hate Speech and Extremism. https://www.meaa.org/meaa-media/code-of-ethics/hate-speech-guidelines/

Moreton-Robinson, A. (2015). The White Possessive: Property, Power, and Indigenous Sovereignty. University of Minnesota Press.

Gelber, K., & McNamara, L. (2013). Freedom of speech and racial vilification in Australia: ‘The Bolt case’ in public discourse. Australian Journal of Political Science, 48(4), 470–484. https://doi.org/10.1080/10361146.2013.842540

---

For further reading, full documentation, and referenced critical reports, see guriNgai.org and bungaree.org.
This statement remains open to review pending meaningful, demonstrable reform by Coast Community News.