ABC boss admits OKing $184k payment to cover journalist’s legal fees

ABC managing director David Anderson has admitted to a Senate estimates committee that he decided on his own to cover legal fees for journalist Louise Milligan.

An ashen-faced managing director of the ABC has been forced to admit that he was responsible for the decision to spend nearly $200,000 of taxpayer money covering the defamation and legal expenses resulting from a tweet posted by journalist Louise Milligan in her personal capacity.

Under questioning during a fiery estimates hearing in Canberra, David Anderson also admitted that he did not ask the ABC board for permission to cover costs relating to the legal action last May, but rather informed them about it later in a general legal update.

Ms Milligan had initially been asked by MP Andrew Laming for an apology and to delete a tweet accusing him of lewd behaviour which he strenuously denied.

ABC Managing Director David Anderson has told the Senate estimates he made the call to pay Louise Milligan’s legal fees. Picture: AAP Image

Despite the tweet having been posted from her personal account – something described by Tasmanian Senator Eric Abetz as being sent while “off on a frolic of her own” – Mr Anderson claimed that the ABC could have been liable because of a simultaneous defamation action being brought by Christian Porter.

“I know there has been a lot of commentary on this matter, but the facts of the matter are I had legal advice from my general counsel that the circumstances of this case were that the ABC could be vicariously liable and that we could be very well be joined to proceeding had that escalated,” said Mr Anderson.

Asked about his communication with the ABC’s Board of Directors, Mr Anderson said “the Board was just informed. I did not seek the Board’s approval.”

Mr Anderson said that the total cost of the matter so far was $184,000, with the potential for more to come.

Former government minister Christian Porter was suing the ABC in a different lawsuit. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

On Tuesday, The Daily Telegraph reported that the ABC sent blacked out email chains and documents in response to Freedom of Information requests relating to Ms Milligan’s tweets about Mr Laming.

In a statement in August, the ABC said it agreed to pay the costs as a result of “a decision arising from particular and exceptional circumstances.”

The hostility between the Federal Government and the ABC has been visceral, with around a dozen Coalition MP’s lining up to criticise the ABC in a documentary podcast ‘Their ABC’ produced by the Institute of Public Affairs.

ALP Senators were also critical of the ABC, with NSW Labor Senator Tony Sheldon forcing the broadcaster to defend its treatment of Neville Wran in a documentary about the fatal Luna Park “ghost train” fire that suggested the former NSW premier was “complicit” in the tragedy.