Extract from ABC News website:
Updated
Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he has no plans to
change the way the ABC operates, despite criticising the public
broadcaster for showing "poor judgement" in publishing leaked documents
about Australia's intelligence gathering operations.
His comments came after ABC managing director Mark Scott again defended publishing the Indonesian spying revelations, and amid internal Coalition calls to reform the ABC.Revelations that Australia had tapped the phones of Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and members of his inner circle sparked a diplomatic crisis between Indonesia and Australia, with the issue still not completely resolved.
Mr Abbott says the ABC was guilty of "very poor judgement" in publishing the stories, but stopped short of saying he would take action against the public broadcaster.
"I think the ABC were guilty of poor judgment in broadcasting that material which was obviously difficult for Australia's national security and long-term best interests," he said.
"As for the ABC's other activity, I can understand why a lot of people in the media think that it's not a level playing field when it comes to competition, given that the ABC is funded to the tune of a billion dollars or so a year by the taxpayer, but it's been thus for many a long year and this Government has no plans to change that."
He was also critical of the ABC jointly publishing the espionage leaks relating to Indonesia with The Guardian.
"Why should the ABC be acting as an advertising agent for a left-wing British newspaper?"Prime Minister Tony Abbott
"My intention is to speak plainly and candidly with the Australian people in the hope that ABC management will see sense," he said.
"Why should the ABC be acting as an advertising agent for a left-wing British newspaper?"
Communication Minister Malcolm Turnbull had earlier raised similar concerns, reportedly telling a Liberal Party function on Friday that it was an "error of judgement" for the ABC to publish the story.
"[The Guardian] were going to publish it and they just basically wanted a partner to help them amplify their publication," Mr Turnbull said.
"It wasn't as if this was a result of a year-long investigation by Sarah Ferguson and the team at Four Corners."
Mark Scott defends publishing spying revelations
But Mr Scott says it was a significant news story that deserved publication."I would say that every politician I meet has a view and a perspective on ABC stories or ABC programming," he said.
"The Guardian Australia came to us on that original story.
"We independently reported it and we checked it out and went to our own sources around it.
"We're an independent media organisation. Sometimes we publish stories that politicians won't be happy about but we are an independent media organisation, that is the role we need to play."
[Mr. Abbott! "It's the Australian people's ABC so leave it alone," at lest it's balanced reporting compared to the very right-wing biased Murdoch press and even picking on "The Guardian Australia" how low will he go, isn't this a case of "the pot calling the kettle black" when Abbott and the Coalition have there own personal cheer squad in the form of the Murdoch press.]
The Worker
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