Australian network in trouble for mixing politics and sport

Sea Eagles fans at the NRL grand final. Photo / Getty Images

Australia's broadcasting watchdog will investigate a complaint that two league commentators on the Nine Network criticised the Government's pokie reforms as "rubbish policy" during a NRL final.

The Australian Communications Media Authority confirmed it was investigating the September 23 rugby league commentary of Ray Warren and Phil Gould.

"Channel Nine broadcast political material without adequately identifying it as such during the NRL first preliminary final," the authority said. "Because this complaint relates to a licence condition ... the complaint could be made directly to the ACMA without first being directed to the broadcaster."

An authority spokesman said the identity of the complainant was confidential.

Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie and South Australian senator Nick Xenophon sent a three-page letter of complaint to Nine boss David Gyngell on Monday saying the commentary was aimed at "misleading and alarming" viewers.

If the complaint is upheld the network could have strict conditions imposed on its broadcasting licence. The authority will publish a report.

Wilkie said the Nine Network stood accused of "some quite serious misconduct. It was not just passing chatter by a couple of football commentators ... to me it was clearly, a scripted segment. I don't think they could have done that without Channel Nine being compliant in some way."

As Warren and Gould made their comments about the plan - during the preliminary final between Manly and Brisbane - a graphic appeared with a link to a website opposing the reforms.

"The proposed mandatory pre-commitment that they've put forward is a rubbish policy. It won't work, it won't solve the problem they say they're going to target, and it will do irreparable damage to the hospitality industry," Gould said.

Warren has admitted the remarks were a "directive from up top" of Nine's management. That contradicted Channel Nine's position that the comments were "purely the opinions of the commentators".

- AAP