ABC chair Ita Buttrose slams Coalition after Morrison government launches inquiry into complaints handling

ABC chair Ita Buttrose continues to hit out at the government and says their relationship remains ‘strained’.

ABC chair Ita Buttrose has lashed out at the Coalition again after it established a Senate inquiry into the broadcaster’s complaints handling department, conceding that the relationship with the government was “strained”.

Ms Buttrose’s comments come less than 24 hours after she publicly attacked the Morrison government on Sunday, accusing it of “political interference” following the revelation of the surprise inquiry into the ABC’s audience and consumer affairs department, which it has vehemently stressed is an independent authority despite sitting within the public broadcaster.

She said the relationship breakdown between the ABC and federal government was “a matter that concerns me greatly”.

“I wish we had a much better relationship with the government. It’s a fact the ABC causes all governments at some time or another to complain about our ­stories,” she told ABC Radio Nat­ional on Monday.

“I think it would be much ­better if the government and the national broadcaster had a better relationship; we are not the enemy, we are easily accessible.”

Liberal MP Andrew Bragg, who heads the Senate committee on environment and communications, will hold an inquiry into the ABC’s complaints handling process after concerns it was not doing its job properly.

As revealed exclusively by The Australian last week, the committee will examine the adequacy of existing arrangements to “provide a framework that is accessible, responsive, efficient, account­able and fit for purpose”.

The committee will report by the end of February and the inquiry will release its findings ahead of the ABC’s independent review into the same complaints department – a move called for by Ms Buttrose in October.

The review is headed by former commonwealth and NSW ombudsman John McMillan and SBS news and current affairs director Jim Carroll and will be completed by March. The findings will be made public in April.

Ms Buttrose doubled down on her attack on the government on Monday and urged politicians to “pick up the phone” if they have a problem with the ABC instead of blindsiding it with an external inquiry. She also called for the Senate inquiry to be terminated or suspended when parliament resumes next week, describing it as a “parallel process” to the review requested by the ABC Board.

“If you have got a problem with the ABC, I’m here to talk to you, don’t hesitate to call,” she said on ABC radio.

“So why didn’t Senator Bragg give me a call if he has a problem with the ABC or a problem with the way our inquiry is being branded?

“That’s what most people do, they ring the boss.”

Scott Morrison on Monday said he was comfortable with the Senate inquiry, despite a report in The Australian revealing Senator Bragg has been rapped over the knuckles by the Prime Minister’s office at the weekend, just two days after the Senate inquiry was announced.

Opposition communications spokeswoman Michelle Rowland said Mr Morrison “continues to mislead when it comes to the ABC … Senator Bragg’s inquiry cuts across the independent process commissioned by the ABC board into complaints handling at the ABC.”

The ABC complaints department has come under intense scrutiny this year in the wake of perceived editorial failings across some of its flagship programs, including Four Corners.

Senator Bragg said he stood by the Senate committee’s inquiry and the ABC should be answerable to the public.