A few days ago, the Federal Council of the Liberal Party called for the “full privatisation of the ABC, except for services into regional areas that are not commercially viable”. The vote was 2:1 for.

Turnbull's response: “Nuh”.

So, we mugs will go on paying one BILLION dollars a year – much of which goes to simpering presenters who have taken it on themselves to harass and lecture us on what we should be saying and thinking; the most vacuous, nobody CEO ever, plus who knows how many puppeteers backstage. About $2 million dollars is spent annually advertising this circus, which has no competition.

The Australian Advertising Corporation is just another very expensive and unnecessary government department, staffed by public servants, which should be abolished along with a lot of other federal government departments.

Turnbull isn't stupid - he knows that yours is a fringe viewpoint that the vast majority of Aussies consider repugnant.

See http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s4858440.htm

Blatant emotional manipulator, aiming itself at the brainless non thinking majority, and giving themselves a guarantee of riches, supplied in a trough, feeding directly from the beleaguered tax payer. Close it down….

So if the news is not slanted to fit your view we should make it do so? that way leads to ,Trumps dictator types save the ABC no matter the cost.

The funding of the ABC works out to approx. 14 cents a
day for every man woman and child. Our per capita funding
is 34% lower than the average of other public broadcasters
including the BBC.

No. it should definitely not be privatised.

Currently the ABC enjoys a degree of independence and is
free to say and do whatever it likes (within the rules of
proper broadcasting). If it was sold to a private owner it
would no longer exist to serve its charter, it would exist
to serve the interests of its owner.

Privatising the ABC would be disastrous for the culture of
this country and any politician who seriously suggests it
as one commentator stated "should be smacked about the head
and marched out of Parliament and thrown into Lake Burley
Griffin."

Julian Burnside pointed out a few years back that media
ownership in Australia is notoriously narrow. Mainstream
media offers precious little diversity and such diversity as
there is runs along predictable lines.

Just as mainstream traditional media is full of voices
(mostly strident) telling government what to do, so the
blogosphere and social media are full of voices more numerous
and diverse and others more strident - doing the same.

Those of us who are torn between the desert of mainstream media
and the jungle of the internet need a place where rational
but diverse voices can be found on matter os enduring importance.
The ABC is such a place.

It would be difficult to agree with every view expressed on the
ABC but it would be equally difficult to disagree with them all.
And it would be impossible to criticise any of them as
irrational and foolish unless of course one happens to be
irrational and foolish.

Aidan,

“Turnbull isn't stupid - he knows that yours is a fringe viewpoint that the vast majority of Aussies consider repugnant”.

Turnbull is not stupid, but you ARE for for referring to an organ of the ABC to defend the ABC.

Opinions are not ‘repugnant’ just because you do not agree with them, and your claim that “the vast majority of Aussies consider (my opinions) repugnant” is really stupid. Most Australians do not know my opinions on the ABC’ nor do they watch or listen to the ABC themselves

Belly,

So you admit that ABC news is "skewed". Thanks for your honesty - very rare from Left dogmatists.

The abc is often a national security risk and a national disgrace. And to think I am paying for it.

The ABC should not be privatised.

Having a source of news and music that is not contaminated by advertisements, is indispensable.

However, the ABC should be included in a list of tax-funded institutions that tax-payers could elect (by ticking boxes in their tax-return) to not fund. Those who choose not to fund the ABC should be expected never to listen, watch or read it.

runner,

I like some of the drama programs on the ABC, but I do not think Australian taxpayers - most of whom do not use the ABC- should be paying for them.

"Having a source of news and music that is not contaminated by advertisements, is indispensable", you believe, Yuyutsu. I don't like advertisements either; but there is no fair reason why people who don't use the ABC (most Australians) should pay for the lack of commercials. SBS was pulled off the public teat, and they advertising in a much better way than the commercials do. Commercial-free entertainment is dispensible when it is provided by a non-competitive government department.

At 14 cents a day - you're getting a bargain.
And complaining about it is petty and small not to mention
narrow-mindedness.

How much are we paying our politicians a day?

Dear Ttbn,

So how do you like my suggestion: the ABC to remain public, but those who do not want it are not forced to fund it?

I would personally have a hard time without the ABC: I get most of my news from it, especially while I drive, also online. I also listen to ABC Classical FM, I would be quite sad without it. If it's up to me, then I'm happy to pay for this service, but I don't ask others to pay for something they do not use. It's a pity that I also need to also pay for ABC television as I don't have a TV, nor ever watch it, but I suppose that comes as part of the package.

Yuyutsu,

Yes. Subscription viewing/listening would be fine, a la Foxtel, Netflix etc. That is one option put up by people wanting change. Another: simply hand it over to ABC staff to operate as a normal business enterprise. That would save taxpayers $1 billion every year, forever. There is simply no justification these days for a public broadcaster which is funded just like any other government department - with other people’s money.

ttbn,
There seems to be a serious problem with your comprehension, as Belly didn't claim ABC news to be "skewed". Belly's point was that you seem to be upset because ABC news isn't skewed to fit your prejudices.

As for your response to my post:
>Turnbull is not stupid, but you ARE for for referring to an organ of the ABC to defend the ABC.
For people who can think for themselves, linking to a recent comment on the issue which includes a summary of the views of the main critics of the ABC is far from stupid. But I suppose you may regard me as stupid for forgetting you're so biased you'll instantly dismiss something from ABC sources even though it's not the official view of the ABC.

>Opinions are not ‘repugnant’ just because you do not agree with them,
Correct. It's because of your contempt for what I (and many others) care about.

>and your claim that “the vast majority of Aussies consider (my opinions) repugnant” is really stupid. Most Australians do not know my opinions on the ABC’
Whether or not most Aussies consider an opinion repugnant does not depend on them knowing whether you hold that opinion.

>nor do they watch or listen to the ABC themselves
ITYF they do.

Dear Ttbn,

While the concept of subscription is good in principle, this wouldn't technically work with my radio sets, at home and in my car, picking the signal off the air. Note that technological solutions not only complicate life, but also inform big-brother if/when/what you listen to.

So what I propose instead is an honour system: to subscribe through the taxation office (so nobody can say that they didn't know it costs): those who earn enough to pay tax but tick the box that they don't want to fund the ABC, are expected to not access the ABC. Yes, some dishonest people may access the ABC anyway and I am willing to pay the extra cost for that.

Yuyutsu on the ABC, "I get most of my news from it, especially while I drive, also online".

No wonder you have such a strange opinions. You are being fed so much misinformation that you have no chance of forming a reasonable view of the state of the planet.

Dear Hasbeen,

When a piece of information is important enough, I confirm it with international sources. What I am unwilling to do, is to expose my brain to commercial advertising propaganda, so the ABC is the lesser evil.

Also, look at it this way: I am not alone among those who listen to the ABC, there must be some 100,000's if not millions who do: do their opinions match mine?

ttbn after my time in the spelling paddock I made promises to my self on returning to this track, be nice, contribute to all threads,expect other opinions will be different, even at times as weird as they will find mine, my contribution to this thread is over, see to continue would breach all my self imposed rules, and in the end we both would be upset, enjoy.

There is definitely a place for a commercial free public broadcaster like the ABC is supposed to be. An unbiased one would suffice.

Aidan,

Your opening remarks show your own lack of comprehension, you querulous goat. But I doubt that anyone could be less interested in the rubbish you spout than I am, you poor silly thing.

Yuyutsu,

There would be a problem with radio. So, it’s back to handing it over to the staff, although I doubt that they could make a dollar for themselves in the private, competitive market.

Belly,

It’s OK for you to chicken out, but please don’t do it on my behalf. I never said or thought the ABC news was skewed. It is pretty hard to misreport news when other media is also reporting it. I mean things like 4 Corners, Q & A, The Drum and all political comment; as well as the grossly ignorant ramblings of people like their ‘economics editor’, whose only qualification for the job is a basic BA with a major in Italian, which she probably just scraped through because she is Italian!

ttbn,
Not inferring things that were never implied doesn't equate to a lack of comprehension.

If you ever understand and accept that, I expect your own comprehension to increase enormously.

things like 4 Corners, Q & A, The Drum and all political comment,
ttbn,
Q&A in my opinion is the most biased ABC programme. Tony Jones at times tries to put on a show of getting up the odd ALP pollie put it comes through as just some poorly rehearsed act.

individual,

Yes. Tony Jones is a disgrace, butting in and interrupting all of the few guests who have even a smidgen of conservatism about them. Haven’t watched it for a long, long time, and never will again.

Here's what I think.
If all the Five-eyes intelligence agencies work together; and the US runs 'Operation Mockingbird' operations with agents embedded into many media organisations, pushing their agendas and talking points there in the US and abroad, to 'steer' the peoples thoughts and views on a matter; if that happens, and we know it happens - they why would one assume the same isn't happening here?

That said, here's my theory:
The ABC isn't going to change.
It's the way it is because people have a vested interest in it being that way.
And it will stay in government hands (and it should, otherwise they should call it something else) and we'll keep on paying for it;
- Your Paying for the right to be fed fake news; misleading half-truths, bias, deliberately obscured or omitted facts meant to deceive, narrative, conjecture, slanted opinion and mockery, dressed as stated facts.
Why?
Because it was designed that way.
-That's how it works, that's its purpose.
What other reason would a government own a national broadcaster for?
For our benefit? You must be kidding me.
It exists for their benefit not ours.

They'll say whatever, but nothing will change and they won't sell it.

What the hard right want is a politically controlled national broadcaster that is in lockstep with their like minded private media. The totally biased trash we now receive from the right wing broadcasters, notably those of the Murdoch persuasion, would become the order of the day for the ABC as well, as Chairman Rupert issues his edicts.
A hero of the hard right, Joseph Goebbels, understood the absolute necessity of media control, and subsequent bias for propaganda purposes. If one is going to propagate a healthy totalitarian state, one needs a decent Propaganda Minister running all news and opinion, there is no room for alternates, and certainly there is no room for dissent.

Me thinks we have a few Goebbelites on this forum.

AC,

The ABC is changing: it is getting more arrogant and controlling because governments, irrespective of brand (they are almost one and the same, now) do not want it to change. They still have enough of other people’s money to enable the ABC, which they are always hoping will say something nice about them. Remember, there has been a catastrophic shift to the Left in Australia, and Turnbull is jockeying to get the ABC on his side at least some of the time. We now have to regard the ABC as government run media as it was in the USSR and still is in China and other totalitarian countries.

Paul,

As you consider anyone not a Green as “hard right”, I am included in that group (in your eyes), and I can tell you all I want is a neutral media that reports the facts, and gives equal time and access to all - even the extremist Greens, who are their own worst enemy with a ridiculous leader who is killing them off on his own; the more coverage he is given, the better.

There is no Right media in Australia. There are a few Right radio personalities, but they are hardly ‘media’.

Like all ideologues, you think that anyone who doesn’t want to be bullied by you and your kind simply want to bully back. You are totally wrong. We just want equal footing. It is not about winning anything; it is about cooperation for the common good. However, I can see that anyone who thinks that National SOCIALISTS were hard right would have little hope of understanding that.

The more dishonest and misleading the abc has become the more need for a hard right. Anyone see Peter Abetz last night suggesting some women simply take out avo's in order to help their custody battles. Nearly sent to feminist into meltdown as if it never happens. The anti male, anti family anti decency tax payer, pro homosxeuality propaganda station is really sickening

The coalition does not want to privatise the ABC - they want to dismantle it.

The three private (so called "free-to-air") networks are already struggling with advertising revenue so the last thing they want is for a fourth player to enter the market.

It's funny how people complain about programmes like Q&A showing bias (from both directions) but there's no equivalent on the other networks for comparison and never will be. Where else can groups like the IPA access taxpayer funds to put their views to air?

There are however, plenty of right-wing extremist shows available on Sky and the last time I looked, Amanda Vanstone still has her radio show on ABC radio. The ABC did try another deliberately right-wing radio programme some time ago but it was canned due to a lack of listener interest.

tbbn,
Your remark suggesting that Nazis (National SOCIALISTS) were not "hard right" displays your own ignorance and bias.

The first things the Nazis did was to ban Trade Unions, communists and impose strict media censorship - hardly leftist ideals but closer to neo-conservative politics today.
Likewise, they were white supremacists and their only link to socialism was their wish to nationalise Jewish capitalism and their industries.
Their closest war-time allies were the Italian fascists, who coined both the name and the idea of Corporatism - another modern trend in resurgence in the Reich Wing.

Hitler called media bias "Lugenpresse" (Lying Press) in the same way Trump calls all critics "fake news" but passionately sucks up to Fox News because they only promote him and never criticise.

The same historical pre-war trends of scapegoating, censorship, oppression and displacement are happening again under similar right wing leadership.

As for there being no right Media in Australia, what do you think News Corp publications are, as well as the three private TV networks and most radio stations? Those right-wing media personalities are employed to say precisely what the station owners want them to because angry reactionary veggies are easier to sell stuff to.

Rache,

You seem to be reading the wrong books, if you read at all.

ttbn,

Come on, even you have to do better than that.

cont'd ...

Next you'll be mooning her over your fence.

Tsk, tsk.

Wow, you’re not very educated, are you ttbn?

The ‘socialist’ part of the ‘National Socilaists’ party was a misnomer because socialism was popular at the time.

According to your logic, East Germany was democratic and so is North Korea. Ever heard of a misnomer? No, I didn’t think so.

The Nazi’s hated socialism. I’d know, I’ve read Mein Kampf. Doesn’t sound like you have though. No, not many of you rightists claimsing that Naziism was a left-wing ideology appear to have.

Sound’s to me like you need to read a few more books. Perhaps you should make them hard-copy books, too, eh?

East Germany was democratic and so is North Korea.

AJ Philips,
Hmh, Australia is dictated by minority groups & it is hailed as a Democracy. Another misnomer ?

I really do see those clambering to privatise our national broadcaster as traitorous.

I kind of understand why a venal political party of sycophants would want access to an American's cash and favourable press but why on earth ordinary Australians are lining up to support them really bewilders me.

I use to think most of us had a fairly good BS detector but the number of people falling in line with the notion that getting rid of an independent publicly owned entity like the ABC, one that has repeatedly held corrupt people and organisations to account in a manner that none of the privately owned media outlets have been able to do, is anything but directly against our interests.

I just wish they would bugger off and stop trying to tear down all the many things that have made this country uniquely Australian. Aunty is certainly one of them.

SR

"...but why on earth ordinary Australians are lining up to support them really bewilders me".

So what's new? Your have always appeared to be bewildered - permanently.

ttbn,

Permanency? Now there's a remark from someone who has
difficulties saying anything positive about anyone.
And that does not appear to be just a fleeting thing.

ttbn,

Are you not a fully paid up member of Corny Banana's, National Banana Party, or some such extreme ratbag political mob that commands less than 2% support?

Big business in Germany supported Hitler, he helped to make them rich. Remember the Nazi's first went into government with the Conservative Party. ttbn see, there is hope for your mob yet, forming a coalition with the Nazi's, your man Corny could be another Alfred Hugenberg.

I see AJ Philips wants us to go & read more books.

Evidently he believes that if it is in a book it must be true.

I knew academia had some serious problems, but never realised it was this bad.

>Evidently he believes that if it is in a book it must be true.
Hasbeen, if you read more books it might make you more wary of jumping to silly conclusions like that one.

Paul,

You are sooooo amusing. At least I am not member of the Greens, one of whose barking mad politicians has just denigrated holocaust victims and survivors and compared America with Nazi Germany. I can’t fathom why such an ugly sheila would draw attention to herself.

The AC is only a 2% show after its first election. The Greens have been around for years, never got into double figures, and are dropping rapidly since de Snarly took over. It’s OK for you to play the schoolboy and try to be wag; say what you like about the ACs. I am a member, yes. I bung them the occasional donation, yes. But they merely provide me with someone to vote for other than the tired old Liberals and Labor. I will never be desperate enough or daft enough to vote Green.

And, you will never understand the Nazis.

The ABC used to strictly adhere to its charter to remain unbiased and used to report the news without commentary. Today, however, that is no longer true.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/inquirer/the-rot-set-in-with-current-affairs-and-abc-news-has-since-lost-its-bearings/news-story/06202187428fc0e6b2a14b60f940c8de

ABC news once had a style guide. If it still exists, it’s been ­watered down, or allowed to be flouted. For example, adjectives were banned, except in quotation. Today reporters use them to subtly colour their stories. Preambles and summary conclusions were prohibited because they were comment, potentially indicating how a listener should interpret the item. Opinion, unless as a direct quote, would see the reporter sent back to rewrite. Yet the other day a Washington correspondent took it upon himself to characterise Donald Trump as “a President under siege”, then interpreted his comments about past policies as ­“insulting the other side”.

Such lazy, undisciplined writing goes unremarked, but is understandably seen as evidence of bias. Too often, interviewers don’t just ask questions, they argue.

What explains the ABC’s ­departure from its charter and its own code of practice and editorial guidelines? How does the public get the impression of “groupthink” on issues from Palestine to same-sex marriage to climate change?"

I agree with the author that the ABC's self-monitoring is a joke and that an external adjudicator be appointed to this old dinosaur.

I was listening to ABC radio in the car yesterday and, during a long piece about American politics and, of course Donald Trump, not once did any of the people involved refer to the President of the United States as President Trump or Mr. Trump: it was just 'Trump' with undisguised contempt.

How many Coalition politicians and journalists of
the Murdoch press referred to our former PM - Julia
Gillard in a respectful manner or even showed her
position as PM any respect?

Pot kettle black.

Trump is not our PM.

It’s funny you should say that, Hasbeen.

<<Evidently he believes that if it is in a book it must be true.>>

Because I was actually mocking ttbn when I said that. Funny how you never picked up on that little flaw in reasoning when it was espoused by ttbn.

Bias much?

You’re not a very bright chap, are you Kevin Bartlett? I have been assured by another on OLO that you are, but clearly you are not.

<<I knew academia had some serious problems, but never realised it was this bad.>>

Yeah, let’s see you say this to ttbn. Fat chance, eh?

My, “Sound’s to me like you need to read a few more books.” Was taken directly from ttbn’s comment to rache:

"You seem to be reading the wrong books, if you read at all." ((http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=8314&page=0#260154)

Bias much?

Ooops.

--
Individual,

<<Hmh, Australia is dictated by minority groups & it is hailed as a Democracy. Another misnomer ?>>

Possibly. Why’s that?

Trump refers to himself as "Trump".

It's always been his brand name and logo and adorns all his buildings and the stuff he sells, like the executive ties and suits he gets manufactured in Mexico and China.

It seems to boost his already over-inflated ego.

Come on Rache. He is hardly likely to put Mr. Trump on his businesses enterprises is he? He is not his businesses; he is an individual, and in his public role he is the President of the United States, the most powerful person in the world. No matter what you think of him personally, that position deserves respect. Are you not aware that even ex-presidents are always addressed as Mr. President in the US, by everyone, until the day they die? It is pathetically childish not to show President Trump that courtesy - even when he is still in office, which he will be for a further seven years, such have been his achievements, which nullify whatever his personal faults are deemed to be by the usual bedwetters.

ttbn,

How many times have you referred to our own
Prime Minister as - Mr Turnbull, or even
Prime Minister Turnbull?

How many?

And I think the names you've called him haven't
been very flattering. Less flattering
than calling Trump - by his brand-name of simply
Trump. Which is what the mainstream media calls
him. Especially in their headlines. The man is
simply known as TRUMP - globally as well.

Despite the mouth-foaming and shrieking from the anti-democratic Left and dodgy officials, President Donald Trump is doing everything that he promised, exceeding even Ronald Reagan, the last President worthy of the label ‘conservative’, having delivered more of his promises in his first year than did President Reagan.

Despite the usual Left nonsense about ‘racism’, substantial numbers of Latino-Americans voted for him. Despite accusations of ‘racism’, Trump enterprises employ all races of people. Despite accusations of ‘misogyny’, many of Donald Trump’s top executives are women, not to mention those heavily involved in his election campaign.

The silly remarks about him being ‘only’ elected because of the college system ignore the fact that the SAME system saw Left duds like Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama being elected. 304 Electoral College members voted for Donald Trump, 77 more votes than Hillary Clinton received ( 227).

Since his election, President Trump has shown never before seen courage in denouncing the United Nations as a social club and talk shop “for despots and human rights violaters”, of little use to anyone but those who profit from its corruption. The US embassy has been moved to its rightful place, Jerusalem. The “dubious privilege” of the US being disrespected by the UN over that move was noted, and $285 million of American taxpayers’ money deducted from US contributions. Given that the US is the biggest contributor to the UN, and the disgraceful body doesn’t keep up with its rent for the US soil it occupies, that is not a large enough deduction. But, future calls for US assistance by s...thole countries will get very careful vetting in the future.

President Trump has already made great progress in stopping illegal arrivals; he has dumped trade deals not helpful to America; rejected ‘self-punitive’ climate change policies (bye bye Paris. Accord); taxation reform and healthcare have improved. The US is already looking better than it did under Bill Clinton, both the Bushes and Barack Obama.

The haters don’t realise how desperate almost half the voters were during the previous 20 years of presidential mismanagement. Donald Trump made the entire US political class look stupid and incompetent, and they have taken it very badly. But, the president speaks for middle America - the people sneered at by the born rule (or so they thought) Left, who can only confront him snobbery, envy and spite.

Ttbn I suspect as the angry tantrum throwers continue to show their colours that the number of deplorables is increasing. Nice to watch from a distance but would not be nice to be near the tantrum throwers. The getup clowns in this nation are nasty enough.

ttbn and runner,

The two of you should go and live in the US.
You will love it there. That is if Trump lets
you in, or doesn't deport you across the border
to Mexico. It's not a bad place we've been there.

runner,

I think most people are getting sick of the childish tantrums. I've just been watching a black American describing the increase in jobs for African Americans and women that have been made available during Donald Trump's short time in office. Two major pipeline projects blocked by the previous administration were opened up within weeks of President Trump's inauguration. He has kept so many of his promises that it must be really galling to those politicians who forget all about their promises the moment they get elected. Most of the success stories are not known outside the US, and most of the haters outside America don't want to know about them. That would spoil their their boring leftist rants.

Here's a link by our very own David F.,
on page 17 about President Trump on
"draining the swamp". Read it and weep.
Or try to refer to it as a "childish tantrum."

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=8313&page=17

ttbn, you should be thankful you still have the right to vote for someone other than the Greens. In fact you should be thankful you still have the right to vote at all. If the extremists from the 2% mob, the ones you foolishly support, were ever to come to power then that voting right would soon evaporate along with so many other rights you now enjoy.

I see SM is still providing links to the rabid rights Murdoch gutter press to "prove" the ABC is biased. Next thing it will be a link to the rantings of Beat Up Bolt to prove some other fictitious claim.

Paul,

What are you on? If, by some miracle, if the AC formed a government, my (and I presume your) “voting right would soon evaporate along with so many other rights you now enjoy”? You have a serious problem, mate. I used to put your remarks down to an odd sense of humour, but lately you appear to be in a very dark place.

Bad luck tbbn,
I have NO respect for Trump and little for the position of US President.

He does not represent me or my interests in any way and as a serial liar, narcissist and a shonky businessman as is so paranoid he needs to surround himself with willing stooges and others to clean up the messes he leaves behind.

He sucks up to tyrants, alienates allies and locks children up in cages and then blames others for everything that goes wrong.

He was deemed unworthy to be awarded a gambling licence to open a casino in Australia because of his apparent ties to organised crime and now has financial connections with Russian crime figures.

If I were to be respectful of him, perhaps I should be referring to Kim-Jong-Il as "Dear Leader" as well?

“Bad luck”, Rache? Your attitude is nothing to me, and nothing to President Trump. You recognise that he doesn’t represent you in any way, so why are you so knotted up about him? Why are you suffering Trump Derangement Syndrome as if you were one of the crazy American Democrats who have completely lost their marbles over the man?

What tyrants does he suck up to?

He hasn’t alienated any “allies” - just countries who have been bludging on the US for decades - thanks to soppy Democrat presidents.

The cages were from President Obama's time. I can’t seem to recall you hyperventilating over that sort of thing at the time.

“Apparent ties to organised crime”. “Financial connections with Russian crime figures”. You are sure of these things? You have proof?

You don’t have to be “respectful” of anyone if it is not in your nature. You don’t have let someone you don’t know, and who doesn’t know that you exist pull your chain either; but you seem to have let that happen. Sleep well.

Dear Shadow minister,

Are you really quoting Luck?

The bloke left the ABC in 1976 and has been after them ever since.

He gets dragged out but every right wing rag to run the same old tired line. This is him in Quadrant;

http://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2014/05/abc-activism-trumps-journalism/

Please find us someone without such a well known grudge.

SR,

In typical fashion, you attack the man instead of addressing the issues he's raised which is a little rich considering the partisan commentary that you frequently trot out.

Luck is singularly the most qualified to comment on the deterioration in journalistic standards and ethics at the ABC having worked there for several decades and at other news agencies.

There are many instances where the ABC has included incorrect information, personal opinions, and Labor/green party talking points as "facts" in articles.

An independent ombudsman to review malfeasance and non-compliance with the ABC charter is a logical step.

Dear Shadow Minister,

You claim;

“Luck is singularly the most qualified to comment on the deterioration in journalistic standards and ethics at the ABC having worked there for several decades and at other news agencies.”

Strewth. Singularly the most qualified? He worked there over 40 bloody years ago. What part of your brain did you have to put into neutral to even think up that wording?

Okay, here is a little quiz for you, which of the other news agencies Luck worked at after leaving the ABC had anywhere near the same journalistic standards and ethics than the ABC?

SR,

"which of the other news agencies Luck worked at after leaving the ABC had anywhere near the same journalistic standards and ethics than the ABC?"

Easy,

Recently all of them either met or exceeded the ABC's standards on Journalism, mostly because the standards at the ABC have sunk so low.