ABC star Tony Armstrong called out for ‘moonlighting’ in NRMA ad campaign

One of the ABC’s most high-profile presenters has been accused of breaching the national broadcaster’s guidelines by lending his voice to a major insurance company’s rebranding campaign.

ABC presenter Tony Armstrong called out by Media Watch host Janine Perrett for undeclared ad for insurer NRMA.

ABC star Tony Armstrong has been called out for ‘moonlighting’ in an advertising campaign for a major insurance company, sparking questions about whether he breached the national broadcaster’s strict rules on external work.

On Monday night, the ABC’s Media Watch revealed that Armstrong, a two-time Logie winner and one of the broadcaster’s biggest names, lent his voice to a campaign for NRMA Insurance, which aired during Nine’s Olympic coverage.

“We were stunned to learn that Armstrong was selling an insurance company,” Media Watch host Janine Perrett said on Monday night’s program. Although Armstrong didn’t appear on camera, “his voice does all the talking,” she added.

Under ABC guidelines, high-profile employees like Armstrong must seek approval for outside work, especially for commercial ventures.

“There are strict rules around ABC staff doing external work and the rules get tighter the more famous you are, with the ABC stipulating that any external work by a high-profile presenter is very high risk,” Perrett noted, calling Armstrong “arguably one of the ABC’s biggest stars.”

In a statement, the ABC confirmed that Armstrong did not get the green light for the gig, and that the voiceover was done without its knowledge and was due to a “misunderstanding” with Armstrong’s representatives external to the ABC.

Armstrong announced last month that he would be leaving ABC News Breakfast. Picture: David Caird

“A misunderstanding?” said Perrett, scornfully. “How any ABC reporter could voice a commercial for one of the biggest brands in Australia and not think that is a conflict, is beyond us.

“If this is not a breach of the guidelines on external work, which says you must seek approval from above, we don’t know what is.”

Armstrong didn’t respond to Media Watch’s request for comment, but with his News Breakfast contract up this Friday, speculation is growing about his next move.

“Maybe it’s the start of his commercial TV or advertising career,” Perrett suggested. “But it’s a shame his moonlighting, at the expense of the ABC’s integrity, is the talking point in his final week on News Breakfast.”

Armstrong, a former AFL player, joined News Breakfast in 2020 and rapidly gained popularity, winning two Logie Awards and expanding his presence across ABC programs as a central figure in network promos, and the face of his own series, Tony Armstrong’s Extra-Ordinary Things.

On September 24, Armstrong announced on air that he would be stepping down from News Breakfast.