ABC Radio devoted perhaps 6 or 7 minutes this afternoon to a...

ABC Radio devoted perhaps 6 or 7 minutes this afternoon to a ‘discussion’ of the Federal Court decision. They interviewed an activist who was ‘distraught’ and ‘aghast’ at the court’s decision, and poured out her heart to the ABC interviewer. “This is not the Australia I know”, pined the activist. The woman conducting the interview oozed sympathy at every utterance and moan the activist made. Were there any hard questions? None at all. Was Whitehaven — whose mine was the subject of the court action, after all — interviewed to hear its reaction to the decision? Of course not. The interview was a shocking example of the ABC’s lack of balance and ideological bias. Will there be any consequence arising from this flagrant breach of the principles of impartial journalism (to say nothing of the ABC’s own charter)? Again, of course not.

Dutton must add the ABC to the excellent “To do” list he announced to Parliament last night. Cut its funding hard or, better still, cut all public funding and put the ABC on a subscription basis. Then we’ll see how long it lasts. It’s a national disgrace.