Bloody weird times at the ABC this week. Following the sacking of the company’s Managing Director Michelle Guthrie, there are now calls for chairman Justin Milne to stand aside, as more revelations surface about his alleged behaviour.
While Milne is now being investigated following reports he wanted journalist Emma Alberici fired because the Government wasn’t happy with the way she reported on tax policy, The Guardian is reporting that Milne tried to stop triple j from moving the date of its Hottest 100 countdown away from Australia Day.
The publication was reportedly told that Milne said then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull would “go ballistic” about the date change, but Guthrie whole-heartedly supported the station’s decision.
If you recall, triple j opted to change the date of its Hottest 100 from 26th January after a public survey found the majority of participants thought the date should indeed be altered, and it pissed a whole lot of politicians off.
Communications Minister at the time, Mitch Fifield, was particularly peeved, saying how much of a “dumb” idea it was.
“There are a relatively small number of people who have an issue with the fact that Australia Day is celebrated on January 26,” he said at the time.
Triple j‘s annual countdown will now be held on the fourth weekend of every January, which in 2019 might provide a bit of a sticky situation because, well, 26th January lies on that fourth weekend.
The station is yet to announce the dates of its Hottest 100 of 2018.
