Speaking at a pre-election event yesterday in Melbourne, jointly organised by ABC Alumni and ABC Friends, ALP leader Bill Shorten said, “The Liberals have to learn, ‘Hands off the ABC’.”

David Anderson is this afternoon appearing before the Senate, Environment and Communications References Committee into allegations of political interference in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The Committee has also grilled other ABC staff regarding interference from former Chairman Justin Milne.

The newly formed ABC Alumni group met this evening in a gathering scheduled some weeks ago.

In an open letter endorsed by almost 100 former promintent ABC Staff including Kerry O’Brien, Jeff McMullen and David Hill, the ABC Alumni have urged Prime Minister Scott Morrison to not appoint a biased ABC Chair.

The text of the letter is below.

The Federal Government must not rush to appoint a new ABC Chair, especially one who has displayed bias against the national broadcaster’s comprehensive role in Australian society.

The ABC Alumni will be officially launched at noon on Wednesday, 21 November 2018 in the foyer at the ABC headquarters at 700 Harris Street, Ultimo, Sydney.
 
The group was formed following a meeting of around 20 Alumni in Sydney on October 12 this year where ABC Board Selection, the decline of the broadcaster and concerns over Asia Pacific Broadcasting were at the top of the agenda.