Liberals to again debate selling the ABC

Tasmanian Liberals will debate privatising the ABC, despite previous assurances from Liberal leaders that the broadcaster will not be sold off.

Yet another Liberal meeting will debate privatising the ABC, despite regular assurances from political leaders it won't be sold off.

The Tasmanian Liberal state council will be the latest to debate the issue, with one branch calling for the ABC's duties to be put out to tender.

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull was forced to insist the ABC would not be sold off when the federal Liberal council passed a motion calling for its sale in June.

"The ABC will always be in public hands. It will never be sold. That is my commitment," he said at the time.

But the issue will again be debated at the Tasmanian state council on the weekend, with locals wanting the ABC tendered out.

"That the federal Liberal party investigates the financial advantages to the Australian taxpayer of promoting the tender of the journalistic, broadcast and maintenance functions of the (ABC)," the motion reads.

Under their plan, the ABC board would continue to oversee the broadcaster and none of the buildings or equipment would be sold.

The ABC has recently endured turmoil at the top after it was revealed the chairman of the board was pressuring the managing director to sack journalists whose stories the government didn't like.

Both chairman Justin Milne and managing director Michelle Guthrie have left the ABC, as two investigations continue into their conduct.


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Source: AAP


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