Eric Abetz has suggested the ABC is pro-domestic violence in a statement calling on incoming ABC chairman Justin Milne to address bias in the organisation. The Tasmanian Liberal Senator was responding to an interview Milne did with The Australian, published yesterday.

Citing the Keyser Trad storm, a Jonathon Holmes op-ed, and comments from Paul Keating, Abetz said there was “widespread evidence” of bias within the ABC.

“It seems for those of us who are pro-Israel, pro-marriage, pro-forestry and anti-domestic violence then the ABC isn’t ‘ours’,” the Tasmanian Liberal Senator said in a press release.

“Clearly it is the role of the chairman to keep the ABC on the straight and narrow and I am hopeful that despite Mr Milne’s prejudgement, that he will tackle the bias within the organisation.”

In the Oz’s interview, Milne said the ABC represented a wide range of views.

“I don’t come to the job thinking I need to fix the perceived bias in the ABC because I don’t know that there ­really is a bias. But I imagine the scrutiny of the ABC will continue and so it should,” Milne told The Australian. — Emily Watkins