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Australian
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has criticised national broadcaster ABC for
"taking everyone's side but Australia's".
Mr Abbott
said the publicly-funded broadcaster should show "some basic affection for
the home team".
The ABC has
been at the forefront of reports on abuse claims from asylum seekers and
reports that Australia had spied on Indonesia.
The ABC had
no immediate comment on Mr Abbott's statements.
However,
the opposition said that the government should welcome media scrutiny.
'Benefit of
doubt'
Mr Abbott
made the comments during an interview with radio station 2GB.
He said he
was "worried and concerned" by the ABC's role in reporting spying
claims in documents leaked by former CIA contractor Edward Snowden.
The
documents appeared to show that Australian spy agencies named the Indonesian
president and other senior ministers as targets for telephone monitoring.
The reports
led to a diplomatic row, with Indonesia suspending military co-operation with
Australia.
Mr Abbott
also criticised the ABC's coverage of allegations that Australian navy
personnel had mistreated asylum seekers.
Footage obtained
by the ABC showed asylum-seekers being treated for burns that they said had
been caused when they were forced to hold on to a hot boat engine.
Indonesian
police said some asylum-seekers had burn marks on their hands, but they did not
know who had inflicted them.
The claims
were strongly rejected by both the Australian military and government, which
has offered to co-operate with an Indonesian investigation.
"If
there's credible evidence, the ABC, like all other news organisations is
entitled to report it," Mr Abbott said.
"[But]
you can't leap to be critical of your own country," he said, adding that
the ABC should be prepared to give the Australian navy "the benefit of the
doubt".
'Welcome
scrutiny'
Acting
Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek said every government had "been subject
to the close scrutiny of the ABC, and we should all welcome that".
"From
emergency broadcasts in times of trouble to coverage of the events that shape
our nation, the ABC is there, free for all Australians," she said.
The number of asylum boats travelling to Australia from Indonesia rose in 2012 and the beginning of 2013 |
"[Mr
Abbott] should stop complaining about media coverage and start behaving like a
prime minister," she added.
Greens
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said: "We need strong voices in parliament to
stand up for the public's right to an independent national broadcaster".
Critics
have accused the government of secrecy over asylum policy.
The
government has refused to comment on reports that the navy are towing asylum
boats back to Indonesia. It has however recently issued an apology to Indonesia
for "inadvertently" violating its waters on multiple occasions.
The
government has also limited information on asylum arrivals and vessel-related
incidents to a weekly e-mail, citing operational needs.
The ABC charter describes the corporation as "the provider of an independent
national broadcasting service".
In December,
ABC managing director Mark Scott defended the ABC's coverage of the spying
allegations.
"We
are an independent media organisation and of course sometimes we will publish
stories that politicians won't be happy about," he said. "That's
the role we have to play."
Related Article:
"The Recalibration of Awareness – Apr 20/21, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Old Energy, Recalibration Lectures, God / Creator, Religions/Spiritual systems (Catholic Church, Priests/Nun’s, Worship, John Paul Pope, Women in the Church otherwise church will go, Current Pope won’t do it), Middle East, Jews, Governments will change (Internet, Media, Democracies, Dictators, North Korea, Nations voted at once), Integrity (Businesses, Tobacco Companies, Bankers/ Financial Institutes, Pharmaceutical company to collapse), Illuminati (Started in Greece, with Shipping, Financial markets, Stock markets, Pharmaceutical money (fund to build Africa, to develop)), Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Women, Masters to/already come back, Global Unity.... etc.) - (Text version)
“… Government
Let us speak of government. We're not speaking of your government, but of any government - the way it works, how it survives, how it has survived, the way it campaigns, and how it elects leaders. It's going to change.
Years ago, I told you, "When everybody can talk to everybody, there can be no secrets." Up to this point on this planet, government has counted on one thing - that the people can't easily talk to each other on a global scale. They have to get their information through government or official channels. Even mass media isn't always free enough, for it reports that which the government reports. Even a free society tends to bias itself according to the bias of the times. However, when you can have Human Beings talking to each other all at once, all over the planet without government control, it all changes, for there is open revelation of truth..
Years ago, I told you, "When everybody can talk to everybody, there can be no secrets." Up to this point on this planet, government has counted on one thing - that the people can't easily talk to each other on a global scale. They have to get their information through government or official channels. Even mass media isn't always free enough, for it reports that which the government reports. Even a free society tends to bias itself according to the bias of the times. However, when you can have Human Beings talking to each other all at once, all over the planet without government control, it all changes, for there is open revelation of truth..
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