ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
Two of the nation’s most prominent journalists have put their differences aside today in a touching display of unity against embattled ABC chairman Justin Milne.
Earlier today, a number of leaked emails were published by the failing newspaper branch of Nine Entertainment Co, Fairfax Media, that detailed Mr Milne’s attempts to have the ABC’s chief economic correspondent, Emma Albanichi, sacked for her interpretation of a federal budget.
“That’s not on!” said the Aunty’s Leigh Sales and Fox News’s Andrew Bolt in near unison.
They both laughed earnestly at each other. Leigh called ‘jinx’ and Andrew sighed playfully.
“Any political interference in the ABC is abhorrent and disgusting,” said Bolt.
“Yeah! So what if Emma thought the last budget was just a thinly-veiled neo-Reganist throwback to the good old days where the rich get richer and the poor eat shit and die? That’s just, like, her opinion, man!” added Leigh.
“Anyway, there must’ve been a full moon or something last night because here I am today arm in arm was Leigh Sales on the ground floor of the Ultimo Kremlin in Sydney’s hellish inner-city calling for the ABC Chairman to be sacked. Who would’ve thought?” said Bolt.
“Tell me about it!” replied Sales.
The pair then joined other ABC workers out the front on Harris Street with members of News Corp, Fairfax and Nine to burn a number of effigies of Justin Milne.
This rare showing of harmony between two media identities who clearly don’t see eye to eye on almost everything while still harbouring a respectful disdain for one another has left the nation reeling.
Locally, some members of the Betoota community said they felt uncomfortable looking at pictures of them holding hands in protest.
“This country is going to hell,” said one.
“Maybe they should just privatise the ABC and move it to Ryde? Let it burn?” said another.
“I’m glad my tax dollars are being put to good use this week! We need to drain the ABC swamp right now!”
The Advocate reached out to Mr Milne’s friend, Malcolm Turnbull, for comment but he’s since indicated that none of this is his problem anymore.
This is a developing story; more to come.
