Liberal Senator Eric Abetz has called on new ABC boss Michelle Guthrie to restructure the national broadcaster to give more focus on conservative opinions and values.
The Tasmanian back-bencher released a statement saying the broadcaster had become a “leftie love-in”
“The new Managing Director will inherit an unbalanced and largely centralised public broadcaster which has become a protection racket for the left ideology,” Senator Abetz said.
The dumped Abbott government minister said the Australian people had lost faith in the organisation saying it has no editorial balance.
Senator Abetz said the organisation had dismissed concerned raised earlier this year by it’s own program ‘Media Watch’ which highlighted that pro-marriage equality advocates were receiving more interviews than those supporting the current definition of marriage.
Mr Abetz described the recent report on the current affairs program ‘Q&A’ ,which found the program did not have an unfair bias, was a “lettuce leaf review”.
Mr Abetz said it was unbelievable that the report from journalist Ray Martin and former SBS boss Shuan Brown recommend more airtime being given to politicians from The Greens.
The Tasmanian senator also repeated his concerns about the appointment of the ABC’s Middle East corespondent, Sophie McNeill.
Although the senator managed to get the Walkey award winning journalist’s name wrong, referring to her as Sophie O’Neill in his media release.
Abetz first raised his concerns about the Perth raised reporter during a parliamentary committee hearing last month.
Senator Abetz asked why McNeil was appointed to the role suggesting that because she had previously stated admiration of journalists John Pilger and Robert Fisk, who held strong anti-Israeli views and pro-Palestinian views, her appointment was inappropriate.
The current Managing Director of the ABC, Mark Scott, defended Ms O’Neill’s appointment highlighting the organisations rigorous recruitment progress.
Mr Scott said Sophie McNeill should be judged on her performance. Mr Scott said Ms McNeill was doing a “strong job” covering Syria, Gaza, Jerusalem and Syrian refugees in one of the most dangerous posts in the world where reporters needed “significant courage”.
OIP Staff
