It's Ita - PM recommends Governor General appoints Ita to Chair the ABC
Court releases Cardinal Pell's 2016 interview with police in the Vatican

Ita ready to "continue the conversation" - Ita will fit right in at their ABC

Screen Shot 2019-02-28 at 12.47.45 pm

Selected excerpts from transcript of today's press conference.

ITA BUTTROSE: I don't have a problem with the Australian public. I believe the main shareholders of the ABC are the Australian public. I have always had a very good communication with them and I think through the ABC we'll be able to continue that conversation. The ABC does it very well. It does it much better than the commercial networks.

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

Comments

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Old Digger

Great choice there, SloMo. Fit for purpose: full of crap.

Paris climate appeasement
Snowy 2 appeasement
ABC appeasement
GoGo, SloMo.

Wayne Shaft

Hmmmm 😏😏😏😏 Wondered why the Marxist Collective didn't put up much of a Fuss ! Well I Suppose she needs the Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars 💵 per year . 👺👺👺

The Fifth Bike Rider of the Apocalypse

ABC spokeswoman:

'We apologise for the break in transmission.

'Our usual service will resume shortly following the appointment of Ms Buttrose.'

Denise

"80% of Australians say the ABC is unbiased". When and where was that poll taken?
I'm disappointed the PM was amused that a lot of us think "the ABC is a nest of left-wing vipers...." I'll be thinking of that when I vote.

Denise

"80% of Australians say the ABC is unbiased". When and where was that poll taken?
I'm disappointed the PM was amused that a lot of us think "the ABC is a nest of left-wing vipers...." I'll be thinking of that when I vote.

Ceres

So Ita what are you doing there if "life will go on as usual". So nothing will change, with the leftie journalists running the show, making it unwatchable for someone like me. Why bother, don't have a Chair/Board or Managing Director as they all appear superfluous to the real power running the show. If you are going to be a rubber stamp may as well rack off and save money.

Glenn

Eighty percent of Australians say the ABC is unbiased...what utter claptrap. But, I suppose if that is true, it will explain Liebor being elected in May...80% of the population are idiots.

Nemesis

'80 per cent of Australian's say we're unbiased. 80 per cent of Australians say they trust our news. more than they trust any other information. So we must be doing something right.'

Really?

According to Andrew Bolt's statistics, 69% of the media in this country leans Left and hard Left while 31% may be considered as having a Conservative base. But, only 39% of Australians listen to or watch that 69% of the Left leaning media, while, 61% of Australians tune into the other 31% of the Conservative based media.

I'll take any corrections on those stats, they do come from my memory, but I believe they are either spot on or very close to what Bolt has put up on his blog.

So 69% of the media are competing for just 39% of the population. Is it really any wonder why the Left wing media - apart from the tax payer funded ABC/SBS are in such financial difficulty?

Old Digger

Certainly worth a second thought, Denise.

Wayne Shaft

Eighty Percent of the Nine Percent that listen 👂 to the Left Wing Marxist Clap Trap . 👺👺👺😜😝😃😀😄

RobertS

Let's just wait and see how she goes. I have a feeling (and that's just what it is) that some of us on the Right may applaud the appointment in time.

PeterJ

It seems Ita hasn't been watching a lot of ABC programmes in the last 20 odd years if she thinks that 80% of Australians think that the good old ABC is unbiased.

Old Digger

... and 100% bullshit.

Titch

Seeing she was a mate of Gillard, she meets the requirements of the ABC collective perfectly. However, in 5 years time she will be 83 years old! Having been told for years that once you are over 60, society has little use for you, you are basically an expense to be tolerated, but hopefully you will do us a favour and drop off soon, why would you put a geriatric in charge of the national broadcaster? To bring it into line with the rest of society as it is now? How can you do that when you have an organization that thinks it is above rebuke by anyone, and there is no place for the aged to have a voice? Puzzling.

seeker of truth

I agree with you, Robert. Hopefully she does hold any other public company directorships and can devote her time and energy to the ABC unlike the person she replaced. Justin Milne held 5 other directorships at the same time as he headed the Board of Directors at the ABC.

https://au.linkedin.com/in/justin-milne-a295b137

She should still find time for her Alzheimer work.

https://omny.fm/shows/employment/such-an-amazing-inspiring-woman-ita-buttrose

Senex

Public service broadcasters like the ABC (,BBC, CBC, SVT, ARD, DR etc..) don't have conversations with the public. Lectures or sermons, yes, but not conversations.

Gaz

If Ita finds the ABC needs more dosh, she should look at the obscene money being paid to the 'talents' - admittedly not as much as is paid on commercial channels, but there is no justification for paying anyone at a government instrumentality more than the responsible minister is paid - cap the 'talent' and managers at around $150k/year - ABC would still get adequate presenters.
Also, ABC should go to SBS style adverts to fund its 'entertainment' programming - we need tea and pee breaks!

JRT

Be as it may. Quote all the figures you want. The fact remains the .000001% ( the Chair of the ABC) will have NO effect!!

Julie of Geelong

She lost me with the “80%” - no one has
asked me!!!

“BUSINESS AS USUAL” @theirABC!!!!!!

vung tau ferry pogo

ABC Audience statistics,,,,,,http://www.abc.net.au/corp/annual-report/2017/audience-metrics.html

tomdundas

Unbiased?

Do they think the bloody bananas are "straight"?

Perhaps they can borrow a heavy from the BBC to show them how to do it & maintain the "Straight & Narrow" :-
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-02-26/tommy-robinson-upstages-radical-far-left-bbc-hit-piece-gets-permanent-facebook-ban

Truth_Will_Out

"Ita Buttrose inspires - This is My Australia" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czkF4aqziJ8

Penguinite

80% of the people that listen/watch the ABC may well trust them. The emphasis, however, being that it's not 80% of Australians just 80% of current listeners.

Destroyer D69

Pravda(AUS) resumes normal service.(In the service of???????)

ando

The Turnbull Coalition Team are absolute morons. If they want to continue with their ABC as is, then make funding it optional for taxpayers - that is the only true poll. I don't want to pay for the privilege to be spat on every day by the leftist filth that infest that organisation.

Stan M

OMG...reassure the staff that life will go on as usual.... Full speed ahead on the ABC Titanic. I am sure Ita will fit right in.

seeker of truth

Oops - that should read "Hopefully she does NOT hold any other public company directorships"

Michelle Two

That link I just put up about the Military lawyer on theft charges it involves the ABC any wonder Justin Milne and Guthrie left in chaos.. Now Ita is left with the mess to clean up along with the yet to be announced Director that takes Milne's place..

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/defence/military-lawyer-on-theft-charge/news-story/710b70ca6851fa9819434fcc780ea9d7
In the search warrant, sighted by The Australian, the AFP said it was looking for any information relating to ABC journalists, ­various military files and topics and the “7.30 Report” and “Afgha­n files”.

Major McBride was charged on September 5 last year with the alleged “theft of commonwealth property” and is due to appear in the Canberra Magistrates Court on Thursday.

The Australian understands the AFP is investigating alleg­ations that classified Defenc­e documents were provided to ABC journalists and then later publicly released on July 10 and 11, 2017.

On July 11, 2017, the ABC’s 7.30 program released a major investiga­tion called The Afghan Files. The story was promoted as “Defence leak exposes deadly secrets­ of Australia’s special ­forces”.

It featured extraordinary detail­ about investigations, includ­ing 10 incidents between 2009 and 2013 where special forces­ had allegedly shot dead insurgents and unarmed civilians, including children.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-11/killings-of-unarmed-afghans-by-australian-special-forces/8466642
Hundreds of pages of secret defence force documents leaked to the ABC give an unprecedented insight into the clandestine operations of Australia’s elite special forces in Afghanistan, including incidents of troops killing unarmed men and children.

The ABC can reveal that some of the cases detailed in the documents are being investigated as possible unlawful killings.

Up The Workers!

When I first heard that they were going to give old Ita "the Chair", I had high hopes that it might have been one of those plug-in jobs that were so popular at Sing Sing and Alcatraz.

Alas, it was only the A.L.P.B.C. one.

Michelle Two

Are Journalists protected in anyway from this theft of Commonwealth property and for printing the investigations????

Did money exchange hands also for the information that was leaked???

Michelle Two

I'd say the ABC chair is more like a Throne.. bling, bling one..

https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/91901648615916618/

Gents and darkforce edition..
https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/238127899027810675/


Just for good measure the girls and leadership breaking glass ceiling and accepting awards .. for doing your job..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtT8YcvBm2U

David

Buttrose will feel very comfortable with that rabble mob giving her yet another and probably her final yapping platform that seems to have been part of all my life, and never did I find her interesting, yet alone relevant.

Julie of Geelong

She’s assumed the “Royal We” already!!!

Wayne Shaft

Maybe Ita could start a Sealed Section of Their / Her ABC just for Non Labor Green Viewers . 😳😳😳

NuThink

Surely a conversation is two way - so how can that possibly happen with TV or Radio? More like the shareholders are getting lectured by their ABC.

Wayne Shaft

B 1 B2 little Bill PM will be Banana 🍌 3 ... 👻👻👻

Michelle Two

With all the focus being on Ita and Pell this week here is what Morrison forgot to mention with his billion dollars of wealth transfers of borrowed money..
With the Paris agreement at play the Coalition has the same 50% target of wealth transfers as does Shorten..
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/opinion/alan-kohler/morrisons-50pc-renewable-target/news-story/10939440cb241cd9ac713ca76e260a50

The preliminary feasibility study prepared by TasNetworks for the Marinus Link says “the benefits … are likely to be greater than costs when approximately 7000MW of the National Energy Market’s present coal-fired generation capacity retires”.

That is, it’s only viable, according to TasNetworks, if 7000MW of Australian coal-fired generation is replaced by solar and wind, so that more smoothing from batteries would be needed — only then it would be worthwhile to transport the power released from Tasmanian hydro storage across Bass Strait.

The Prime Minister says it will be built as early as 2025, which means he is expecting that amount of coal generation to be shut by then and replaced by renewables. That would comfortably push renewables beyond 50 per cent of total Australian generation.

And then there’s Snowy 2.0, which also requires a big increase in renewables and reduction in coal to be viable, estimated to be about 5000MW.

The combined capacity of NSW and Victorian coal-fired power generation is a bit less than 15,000MW. When Liddell closes, NSW will be down to 8160MW.

In other words, Snowy 2.0 and Tasmanian pumped hydro with the second interconnector assumes all coal generation in Victoria and NSW will close in the mid-2020s, and that renewable energy will account for well above 50 per cent of the total.

clivehoskin

What would you expect from the"Uni-Party"?Ita just another"Regressive Lefty"

clivehoskin

Have you heard that Palletchook has told the miners that they had better find new jobs because there won't be any more mining in QLD?Seems she doesn't need the BILLION of dollars that said mining generates.Unfortunately,she never consulted WE the PEOPLE and probably doesn't care what WE think.Just about sums up these"Sniveling,Cowardly,Lying,Do Nothing,Career Politicians"doesn't it!!!!!

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