Ita ready to "continue the conversation" - Ita will fit right in at their ABC
Thursday, 28 February 2019
Selected excerpts from transcript of today's press conference.
JOURNALIST: What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the ABC at the moment?
ITA BUTTROSE: I think the most important - and in my role as chair, I think my most important role is to restore stability to the management of the organisation, to reassure the staff that life will go on as usual....
JOURNALIST: Ita, do you believe the ABC requires more funding to fulfil its commitments to the Australian people?
ITA BUTTROSE: I haven't been through the accounts yet. I haven't discussed anything with the acting managing director or with the acting chair. And I need to look at those things. I need to look at those figures and see what's what. I'm aware what the current funding is, but, look, let me assure you that if I think there is a need for more funding, I won't be frightened to ask for it.
JOURNALIST: There is a loud view by some of the community that the ABC is a nest of left-wing vipers in terms of its journalism that it doesn't represent - I see nods and smiles from the Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER: I'm just amused.
JOURNALIST: What is your take on it?
ITA BUTTROSE: 80 per cent of Australian’s say we're unbiased. 80 per cent of Australians say that they trust our news more than they trust any other kind of information. So we must be doing something right