The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has ruled that Channel Seven breached classification rules after comments about domestic violence were aired in a fishing program earlier this year.
The investigation focused on an episode of Step Outside with Paul Burt, broadcast on 7mate in March 2025.
During the episode, comments were made that the ACMA deemed “highly inappropriate” and unsuitable for the program’s PG rating.
Paul Burt
What happened
The incident occurred during an outdoor cooking segment featuring the following exchange:
Small: That’s your job Pauly, you mix that up, give that a good beating, like you do with your missus. You don’t beat your missus do you?
Burt: Oh my God [laughs].
Small: Mine always likes, every now and then I just find I’ve gotta tie her to a tree and flog her with wire, you know?
Presenter: No no no no no no no no no, oh my God.
The ACMA noted the show had been classified as PG, a rating that requires adult themes to be “mild in impact” and handled “carefully” to remain suitable for children to watch with supervision.
Under the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice, PG content must treat sensitive themes, such as domestic conflict, with care. ACMA said the remarks failed that standard.
The exchange first came to public attention after Small appeared on Burt’s Step Outside program on Radio 4BC. At the time, Burt said he believed the comments about domestic violence had been edited out of the TV version of the show.
It is understood that Small has not been a guest on Burt’s radio program since the complaint was made.
Public apology
Burt has publicly apologised for the broadcast. Speaking to TV Tonight, he said he was appalled the remarks had not been cut from the episode after a contracted editor departed mid-production.
In a statement, Burt said: “Please accept my most sincere apology for the offense that was caused by the shocking comments made by a guest in the episode. They were uncalled for, appalling and contrary to everything I believe in.
“By way of explanation and by no means an excuse, my show editor who would ordinarily have deleted the comments in editing, left without notice mid production. Whilst searching for a replacement I have endeavoured to manage this aspect of the production and I had thought the offensive comments had been removed. I was clearly wrong in this assumption and as mentioned above I am absolutely appalled and upset that the show aired as it did.
“Upon the show airing I contacted Channel 7 to bring the matter to their attention and ensure the episode was removed from their line up so that no-one else could be exposed to the episode.
“Please accept my sincere apology and know that I intend to set structures in place to ensure that this occurrence or anything similar will never occur again.”
ACMA response
ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood said the material was unacceptable for the context in which it aired.
“These were disturbing comments. They may have been intended as a crude attempt at humour, but they were totally unacceptable,” she said.
“Viewers were not warned at the outset that the program contained such themes and Channel Seven should have taken greater care in handling this sensitive and serious issue.”
The comments prompted a viewer complaint, after which Channel Seven issued a public apology. The broadcaster also removed the program from both 7mate and its digital platform 7plus.
Seven told ACMA it had relied on assurances from the production company that the episode complied with the Code. However, ACMA said broadcasters remain responsible for ensuring content meets classification standards and cannot outsource that obligation.
The regulator confirmed it is considering enforcement action, with the outcome to be made public once finalised.