The Communications Minister was due to appear on the national broadcaster on Monday, in the first appearance by a Coalition MP since Q&A’s controversial episode featuring convicted criminal Zaky Mallah.
Mr Turnbull withdrew from his planned appearance as part of Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s boycott of the program, put in place amid a government review into the weekly program.
Mr Turnbull told the ABC's 7.30 program that he had discussed the boycott with Mr Abbott.
“The Prime Minister and I talked about it,” he said.
“The original boycott or ban on Barnaby Joyce appearing was something that was news to me. But in terms of his response to the ABC as set out in his letter of the 10th of July, he did. We discussed that on several occasions."
Mr Abbott has now indicated he'll permit his frontbenchers to go on Q&A once the public broadcaster's news and current affairs division takes responsibility over the program.
Mr Turnbull supported Mr Abbott’s call, but acknowledged the issue was relatively minor.
“Q&A is a long, long way from being the most important issue affecting Australians,” he said.
Abbott shifts on boycott
In a letter of reply to ABC board chairman James Spigelman on Friday the prime minister indicated he was willing to allow frontbenchers to once again go on the show.
Mr Spigelman had written to Mr Abbott that an option to move Q&A into the ABC's news division while an independent review was taking place was under "active consideration".
"I see merit in this proposal," the chairman wrote on Thursday.
In his reply, Mr Abbott wrote that Mr Turnbull had been "given to expect that Q&A would be moved to news and current affairs, which would be appropriate for such a program".
"Front benchers look forward to resuming their participation in Q&A once this move takes place," the prime minister wrote.
"I hope this can happen as soon as possible."
Former Liberal leader John Hewson will appear on Q&A on Monday instead of Mr Turnbull.
He is the second Liberal MP to snub the public broadcaster following the withdrawal of the Prime Minister's parliamentary secretary Alan Tudge.
With AAP.
Share
