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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/jan/29/tony-abbott-attacks-abc-for-taking-everyones-side-but-australias
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Tony Abbott attacks ABC for ‘taking everyone's side but Australia's’ | Tony Abbott attacks ABC for ‘taking everyone's side but Australia's’ |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The | The |
| prime minister, Tony Abbott, has mounted a fresh attack on the national | prime minister, Tony Abbott, has mounted a fresh attack on the national |
| broadcaster, suggesting the ABC instinctively took "everyone's side but | broadcaster, suggesting the ABC instinctively took "everyone's side but |
| Australia's" and should show "some basic affection for the home team". | Australia's" and should show "some basic affection for the home team". |
| Abbott | Abbott |
| took issue with the ABC's reporting of claims by asylum seekers of | took issue with the ABC's reporting of claims by asylum seekers of |
| mistreatment at the hands of the Australian navy, saying journalists | mistreatment at the hands of the Australian navy, saying journalists |
| should give the navy the benefit of the doubt. | should give the navy the benefit of the doubt. |
| In | In |
| an interview with conservative radio host Ray Hadley on Wednesday, | an interview with conservative radio host Ray Hadley on Wednesday, |
| Abbott also reaffirmed his concerns about the ABC's collaboration with | Abbott also reaffirmed his concerns about the ABC's collaboration with |
| Guardian Australia on the story that revealed Australian spy agencies’ past efforts to target the phones of the Indonesian president, his wife and inner circle. Those disclosures were based on documents provided by the former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden. | Guardian Australia on the story that revealed Australian spy agencies’ past efforts to target the phones of the Indonesian president, his wife and inner circle. Those disclosures were based on documents provided by the former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden. |
| The | The |
| prime minister's comments add to complaints by conservative politicians | prime minister's comments add to complaints by conservative politicians |
| and commentators of perceived left-wing bias at the ABC, amid demands | and commentators of perceived left-wing bias at the ABC, amid demands |
| in some quarters for funding cuts. Labor figures have previously accused the government of trying to bully the independent ABC to produce more favourable coverage. | in some quarters for funding cuts. Labor figures have previously accused the government of trying to bully the independent ABC to produce more favourable coverage. |
| Abbott’s remarks were triggered by Hadley’s complaint about the ABC’s recent stories in which asylum seekers claimed to have been mistreated and burned | Abbott’s remarks were triggered by Hadley’s complaint about the ABC’s recent stories in which asylum seekers claimed to have been mistreated and burned |
| by Australian personnel during turnback operations at sea. Hadley said | by Australian personnel during turnback operations at sea. Hadley said |
| he and fellow "shock jock" Alan Jones faced regular attacks from the | he and fellow "shock jock" Alan Jones faced regular attacks from the |
| commercial broadcasting regulator, yet the ABC was not held accountable. | commercial broadcasting regulator, yet the ABC was not held accountable. |
| Abbott | Abbott |
| said he could understand the frustration “because at times there does | said he could understand the frustration “because at times there does |
| appear to be a double standard in large swaths of our national life”. | appear to be a double standard in large swaths of our national life”. |
| “I | “I |
| want the ABC to be a straight news gathering and news reporting | want the ABC to be a straight news gathering and news reporting |
| organisation and a lot of people feel at the moment the ABC | organisation and a lot of people feel at the moment the ABC |
| instinctively takes everyone's side but Australia's,” the prime minister | instinctively takes everyone's side but Australia's,” the prime minister |
| said. | said. |
| "I was very worried and concerned a few months back | "I was very worried and concerned a few months back |
| when the ABC seemed to delight in broadcasting allegations by a | when the ABC seemed to delight in broadcasting allegations by a |
| traitor, this gentleman Snowden, or this individual Snowden, who has | traitor, this gentleman Snowden, or this individual Snowden, who has |
| betrayed his country and in the process has badly damaged other | betrayed his country and in the process has badly damaged other |
| countries that are friends with the United States. Of course, the ABC | countries that are friends with the United States. Of course, the ABC |
| didn't just report what he said; they took the lead in advertising what | didn't just report what he said; they took the lead in advertising what |
| he said." | he said." |
| Earlier | Earlier |
| this month, the US president, Barack Obama, criticised Snowden for | this month, the US president, Barack Obama, criticised Snowden for |
| disclosing details of government surveillance but announced reforms to | disclosing details of government surveillance but announced reforms to |
| the National Security Agency and acknowledged the resulting debate would “make us stronger”. | the National Security Agency and acknowledged the resulting debate would “make us stronger”. |
| Abbott | Abbott |
| said the ABC, like any other news organisation, was entitled to report | said the ABC, like any other news organisation, was entitled to report |
| matters for which there was credible evidence. "But you can't leap to be | matters for which there was credible evidence. "But you can't leap to be |
| critical, you shouldn't leap to be critical of your own country, and | critical, you shouldn't leap to be critical of your own country, and |
| you certainly ought to be prepared to give the Australian navy and its | you certainly ought to be prepared to give the Australian navy and its |
| hard-working personnel the benefit of the doubt," he said. | hard-working personnel the benefit of the doubt," he said. |
| Hadley said shocks jocks "who lean a bit to the right" faced sustained scrutiny from the Australian Communications and Media Authority, but "the other side of the fence, so the so-called left-leaning ABC" was left to its own devices. | Hadley said shocks jocks "who lean a bit to the right" faced sustained scrutiny from the Australian Communications and Media Authority, but "the other side of the fence, so the so-called left-leaning ABC" was left to its own devices. |
| Abbott | Abbott |
| replied that he thought there was "quite an issue of double standards" | replied that he thought there was "quite an issue of double standards" |
| but he could not promise "that it's going to be fixed tomorrow". The | but he could not promise "that it's going to be fixed tomorrow". The |
| prime minister was conscious of it and would call it as he saw it. | prime minister was conscious of it and would call it as he saw it. |
| "I | "I |
| think it dismays Australians when the national broadcaster appears to | think it dismays Australians when the national broadcaster appears to |
| take everyone's side but our own and I think it is a problem,” he said. | take everyone's side but our own and I think it is a problem,” he said. |
| Abbott | Abbott |
| explicitly questioned the creation last year of the ABC's fact-checking | explicitly questioned the creation last year of the ABC's fact-checking |
| unit to examine the truthfulness of politicians' public statements. The | unit to examine the truthfulness of politicians' public statements. The |
| unit has previously disputed statements by both major parties. | unit has previously disputed statements by both major parties. |
| Referring | Referring |
| to increased costs, Abbott said: "There was the establishment of some | to increased costs, Abbott said: "There was the establishment of some |
| fact checking entity inside the ABC a while back and surely that should | fact checking entity inside the ABC a while back and surely that should |
| just come naturally to any media organisation.” | just come naturally to any media organisation.” |
| Abbott | Abbott |
| said he would like the national broadcaster "to have a rigorous | said he would like the national broadcaster "to have a rigorous |
| commitment to truth and at least some basic affection for the home team, | commitment to truth and at least some basic affection for the home team, |
| so to speak". | so to speak". |
| Plibersek said the ABC was a longstanding part of Australia's cultural fabric. | |
| "From emergency broadcasts in times of trouble to coverage of the events that shape our nation, the ABC is there, free for all Australians," she said. | |
| "Since it began, every government has been subject to the close scrutiny of the ABC and we should all welcome that." | |
| The | The |
| immigration minister, Scott Morrison, and defence and customs | immigration minister, Scott Morrison, and defence and customs |
| hierarchies rejected the claims about asylum seeker mistreatment that | hierarchies rejected the claims about asylum seeker mistreatment that |
| were aired on the ABC. | were aired on the ABC. |
| News Corp Australia on Tuesday published an email from an ABC researcher | News Corp Australia on Tuesday published an email from an ABC researcher |
| seeking navy personnel to speak on background about the burns claims, | seeking navy personnel to speak on background about the burns claims, |
| saying she was seeking further information because her “boss feels the | saying she was seeking further information because her “boss feels the |
| allegations are likely to be untrue". | allegations are likely to be untrue". |
| The | The |
| employment minister, Eric Abetz, who has previously pursued the ABC at | employment minister, Eric Abetz, who has previously pursued the ABC at |
| Senate estimates hearings over bias claims, praised the national | Senate estimates hearings over bias claims, praised the national |
| broadcaster's reports on alleged union misconduct in the construction | broadcaster's reports on alleged union misconduct in the construction |
| industry, which aired this week. | industry, which aired this week. |
| "Let | "Let |
| me say that the ABC and Fairfax Media have done a great public service | me say that the ABC and Fairfax Media have done a great public service |
| in exposing the corruption and illegality on Australian construction | in exposing the corruption and illegality on Australian construction |
| sites," Abetz told reporters on Wednesday. | sites," Abetz told reporters on Wednesday. |
| In early December, after the spying story controversy, the ABC’s managing director, Mark Scott, vigorously defended the national broadcaster against criticism. | In early December, after the spying story controversy, the ABC’s managing director, Mark Scott, vigorously defended the national broadcaster against criticism. |
| “We | “We |
| are an independent media organisation and of course sometimes we will | are an independent media organisation and of course sometimes we will |
| publish stories that politicians won’t be happy about. We are an | publish stories that politicians won’t be happy about. We are an |
| independent media organisation. That’s the role we have to play,” Scott | independent media organisation. That’s the role we have to play,” Scott |
| said at the time. | said at the time. |