Malcolm Turnbull has thrown Tony Abbott under a bus by admitting the prime minister didn't fulfil his promise to make "no cuts to the ABC or SBS" - according to Labor.
The $300 million in funding cuts to the ABC and SBS will continue to dominate the political agenda on Wednesday after the communications minister appeared to break ranks when asked if Mr Abbott had broken an election promise.
"Certainly there are cuts. He said no cuts to the ABC or SBS - there are cuts to the ABC or SBS," Mr Turnbull told Sky News on Tuesday.
But the communications minister qualified his statement by saying he and Treasurer Joe Hockey had advised the public there would be cuts across the board before Mr Abbott's election-eve promise on SBS.
"If you take the view that Tony Abbott's remarks the night before the election on SBS trumped and obliterated everything his colleagues had said on the matter then yes, that promise, if that is a promise, has not been fulfilled."
Opposition communications spokesman Jason Clare says Mr Turnbull's comments show he is not happy about being the axeman for Mr Abbott.
"He has thrown his prime minister under the bus," Mr Clare said.
