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Barnaby Joyce pulls out of Q&A as Tony Abbott insists frontbenchers boycott show Barnaby Joyce pulls out of Q&A as Tony Abbott insists frontbenchers boycott show
(about 3 hours later)
Barnaby Joyce has pulled out of Monday night’s Q&A program after Tony Abbott ruled that frontbenchers should not go on the ABC show.Barnaby Joyce has pulled out of Monday night’s Q&A program after Tony Abbott ruled that frontbenchers should not go on the ABC show.
The agriculture minister withdrew late on Sunday night, despite having told the ABC’s Insiders program earlier in the day he would be appearing.The agriculture minister withdrew late on Sunday night, despite having told the ABC’s Insiders program earlier in the day he would be appearing.
A spokesman for Joyce said the prime minister had decided no frontbencher would be allowed to take part, Fairfax Media reported.A spokesman for Joyce said the prime minister had decided no frontbencher would be allowed to take part, Fairfax Media reported.
Last week the prime minister’s parliamentary secretary, Alan Tudge, also withdrew from the program at the last minute, following the row over the appearance the previous week of the former terrorism suspect Zaky Mallah.Last week the prime minister’s parliamentary secretary, Alan Tudge, also withdrew from the program at the last minute, following the row over the appearance the previous week of the former terrorism suspect Zaky Mallah.
Joyce said on Insiders it had been “an absurdity” to allow Mallah into the audience for the program, but he thought the ABC was “dealing with that issue now”.Joyce said on Insiders it had been “an absurdity” to allow Mallah into the audience for the program, but he thought the ABC was “dealing with that issue now”.
Related: ABC give Q&A producer 'formal warning' and name Ray Martin to lead review Related: Barnaby Joyce banned from Q&A – what will Malcolm Turnbull do now?
The ABC issued a formal warning to the program’s executive producer, Peter McEvoy, last week. A report by the federal communications program into the affair found the ABC had investigated Mallah’s background, but missed offensive tweets he had made about News Corp journalists and others.The ABC issued a formal warning to the program’s executive producer, Peter McEvoy, last week. A report by the federal communications program into the affair found the ABC had investigated Mallah’s background, but missed offensive tweets he had made about News Corp journalists and others.
The communications minister, Malcolm Turnbull, is scheduled to appear on the program next week. He has previously said he did not support a boycott by government ministers. Labor’s Joel Fitzgibbon accused the government of adopting an attitude akin to dictatorships in its attitude to Q&A.
He said last week he was happy with the decision to sanction McEvoy. “This is not Soviet Russia or even modern-day Korea, this is Australia,” Fitzgibbon told reporters in Canberra on Monday.
“Directors have met, considered the issues relating to that program in the light of their statutory responsibilities and taken some action,” he said. He ridiculed the argument from Joyce’s office that he should not appear while the ABC’s independent inquiry into the Mallah affair was under way.
“The Zaky Mallah incident is behind us,” Fitzgibbon said. “This is not about Zaky Mallah.
“This is about the prime minister and his mind games, his mind manipulation and his determination to shut down any debate which he doesn’t believe is in the interest of him.”
Communications minister Malcolm Turnbull is scheduled to appear on Q&A next week but is yet to confirm that commitment after Abbott’s edict.
Fitzgibbon said he would like to have a bet on the minister still appearing.
“I would be amazed if Malcolm Turnbull doesn’t do what Barnaby Joyce should do today and give the prime minister the single finger and get on with it,” he said.
Turnbull has previously said he did not support a boycott by government ministers.
Junior minister Simon Birmingham said the prime minister’s decision should send a strong signal to the public broadcaster.
“Hopefully the ABC can manage to turn around its mistake and come out quickly with measures that restore confidence,” he told Sky News on Monday.