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Senior Liberal MP pulls out of Q&A appearance over Zaky Mallah affair Senior Liberal MP pulls out of Q&A appearance over Zaky Mallah affair
(35 minutes later)
Tony Abbott’s parliamentary secretary Alan Tudge has pulled out of an appearance on the ABC’s Q&A program on Monday night as the government steps up its criticism of the decision to give former terrorism suspect Zaky Mallah a platform on last week’s program.Tony Abbott’s parliamentary secretary Alan Tudge has pulled out of an appearance on the ABC’s Q&A program on Monday night as the government steps up its criticism of the decision to give former terrorism suspect Zaky Mallah a platform on last week’s program.
“It does not mean I will never attend, but I am concerned my participation could be construed as suggesting the prime minister and government are not taking the matters from last week incredibly seriously. We are,” Tudge wrote in the Australian on Monday.“It does not mean I will never attend, but I am concerned my participation could be construed as suggesting the prime minister and government are not taking the matters from last week incredibly seriously. We are,” Tudge wrote in the Australian on Monday.
Tudge said it was not appropriate to appear while an investigation by the federal communications department was under way to find out “Who knew what and when? How can the ABC ensure such a thing will not happen again?”Tudge said it was not appropriate to appear while an investigation by the federal communications department was under way to find out “Who knew what and when? How can the ABC ensure such a thing will not happen again?”
Mallah has been convicted and served a jail sentence for making death threats against Asio officials. He has also tweeted that two female journalists should be publicly raped.Mallah has been convicted and served a jail sentence for making death threats against Asio officials. He has also tweeted that two female journalists should be publicly raped.
“This is not a matter of free speech, as [ABC managing director Mark] Scott pretends,” Tudge wrote. “Free speech means a person is legally allowed to express views. It does not mean that those views must be magnified with taxpayer assistance.” Tudge compared Mallah to the Sydney siege gunman.
“When you read the full details about Mallah, including his use of the media for attention-seeking, he sounds remarkably like Man Haron Monis,” he said.
The mistake to allow him on Q&A required more than just an expression of regret, a “weak justification” from ABC managing director Mark Scott and silence from the board, the parliamentary secretary wrote.
“This is not a matter of free speech, as Scott pretends,” Tudge wrote. “Free speech means a person is legally allowed to express views. It does not mean that those views must be magnified with taxpayer assistance.”
The ABC is also conducting an internal investigation into Mallah’s appearance on the program.The ABC is also conducting an internal investigation into Mallah’s appearance on the program.
The defence minister, Kevin Andrews, has also said he would not accept an invitation to appear on Q&A.The defence minister, Kevin Andrews, has also said he would not accept an invitation to appear on Q&A.
On Sunday the communications minister, Malcolm Turnbull, stepped up the government’s criticism of the national broadcaster, accusing it of “undergraduate ... tabloid journalism”. The ABC had a “higher duty” than other media to be accurate and impartial because of its statutory obligations, he said.On Sunday the communications minister, Malcolm Turnbull, stepped up the government’s criticism of the national broadcaster, accusing it of “undergraduate ... tabloid journalism”. The ABC had a “higher duty” than other media to be accurate and impartial because of its statutory obligations, he said.