Bill Shorten: The ABC Must Not Be “A Propaganda Arm Of The Government”


Bill Shorten has entered the ABC vs Coalition battle, coming in to swing for the public broadcaster (although, let’s be honest, no surprises there).

The Leader of the Opposition accused Tony Abbott and co of launching a “full on attack against the independence of the ABC,” and that it should not be “a propaganda arm of the government.”

Yesterday, Tony Abbott went full blown kangaroo in the top paddock B-A-T-S-H-I-T, ordering a enquiry into the ABC after Zaky Mallah appeared on Q&A.

The Prime Minister claimed that “heads should roll” after the ABC rebroadcast the Q&A episode (which they do every week), and said, ears steaming:


“The ABC has once again given a platform to someone who hates us, who hates our way of life, who supports terrorists, and again, I ask of the national broadcaster: whose side are you on?”

It’s no secret that the Liberals care not for the ABC – what with the tired accusations of left wing bias, and slashing its budget by $254 million last year – so it’s not exactly shocking that they’ve fanned a spark into a bushfire.

Last night, ABC boss Mark Scott actually had to remind the government that the ABC wasn’t a state broadcaster, with a few examples of where to find one: North Korea, Russia, China, and Vietnam. Not bedfellows you want to jump in with, honest media-wise.


“The A in ABC is for Australian,” he said. “And the part we play, what we do for the side, is a vital one, central to our culture and our democracy – that of being an independent public broadcaster.”

He stuck the barb in by adding that some politicians don’t understand the “important of the independence of the public broadcaster from political pressure and interference.”

Minister for Education and Training Christopher Pyne has also joined the fight, accusing Mark Scott of “trying to change the debate into something that it isn’t”.

Into what, exactly? The folks running the joint calling for a government inquiry into an independent broadcaster over who is allowed to say what seems pretty much straight down the freedom of speech vs propaganda line.

Host Tony Jones immediately apologised for Zaky Mallah’s comment, and the ABC announced they’re conducting an internal inquiry. The government can just back off and go back to figuring out how to legally lock kids up in detention.

But don’t worry guys, it’s just a little bit of history repeating:

Photo: Darrian Traynor via Getty Images

via The Australian

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