Coronavirus: ABC news chief denies row with PM’s office over Norman Swan
A ‘cranky phone call’ between Scott Morrison’s office and Gaven Morris over virus coverage is the talk of the press gallery.
It’s the talk of the Canberra press gallery: an alleged cranky phone between a staffer in Scott Morrison’s office and ABC news and current affairs supremo Gaven Morris on March 19. The alleged subject? Dr Norman Swan.
But Morris is adamant that no hostility has been expressed by “any government source” to him “at any level” about the ABC’s COVID-19 coverage.
It has been claimed that the government was worried about inconsistency in the messaging of Swan, the face of the ABC’s coronavirus coverage, and that of Australia’s chief medical officer, Brendan Murphy.
Whispers around Canberra suggest the PM’s office was concerned that Swan’s messaging was at odds with Murphy’s in some instances, particularly in the early escalation of the crisis.
Morris tells Diary: “I haven’t had any government source get in touch with me and complain about any of any ABC coverage at any level. If they have complained, they haven’t got in touch with me.”
However, Swan last week hinted that lines of communication with Murphy had been opened, as he appeared to slightly soften his stance towards the government.
Read Nick Tabakoff’s Media Diary in full, online and in print, on Monday
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