Milne accused of pushing to sack political editor

THROUGH THE MILNE

ABC chairman Justin Milne allegedly tried firing political editor Andrew Probyn after receiving a furious phone call from then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull in June. This news comes a day after allegations of a similar move by Milne against Emma Alberici in May.

The Daily Telegraph ($) reports that Milne allegedly disregarded warnings from then-managing director Michelle Guthrie against firing Probyn because of Turnbull’s complaints. In a version of the incident Guthrie emailed to board members last week, Milne warned that she was “putting the future of the ABC at risk” and jeopardising “half a billion dollars” in funding for his digitisation scheme, Project Jetstream. Turnbull had allegedly called to complain against Probyn’s “Super Saturday” comments and, speaking outside the UN overnight, has since reiterated criticism but denied calling for anyone to be fired.

Milne has thus far rejected calls to stand down and, in the most detailed response to criticism to date, has defended his workload across multiple boards ($).

BACK ALREADY?

Supporters of federal Labor MP Emma Husar believe she is reconsidering her decision to resign at the next election, after an internal Labor review found there was no basis for a resignation over bullying and harassment allegations.

According to The Australian ($), Husar has told supporters she “didn’t want to lose her job” and has an opportunity to apply now that, thanks in part to a reported lack of well-known candidates, the New South Wales ALP has extended a deadline for expressions of interests in her seat. The Sydney Morning Herald also reports that members of the Left faction are pushing for retiring Senator Doug Cameron to replace Husar.

TAX ME!

In an almost unheard-of case for a company arguing for its taxation, Airbnb has called on the Queensland state government to introduce a so-called “bed tax” for short-term accommodation.

The Brisbane Times reports that, while the Labor government, LNP opposition and tourism groups have all rejected the proposal, Airbnb wants a 5% tax to ease the infrastructure burden on local councils inundated with tourism costs.

[free_worm]

THEY REALLY SAID THAT?

There was a time in the media where there was a sense of solidarity and camaraderie between organisations and between individual journalists. When News Corp decided to *go* for the ABC, and started obsessing about the ABC, and exaggerating criticism, and so many of their journalists signed up, the result of that was that emboldened the government to go after the ABC, and they went after them because they felt they had a big news organisations behind them, in their corner. And so I think that’s what encouraged the government to behave as it has.

Barrie Cassidy

The Insiders host lets fly on The Project.

CRIKEY QUICKIE: THE BEST OF YESTERDAY

Justin Milne doesn’t understand his job and must go — nowBernard Keane

“If the issue of whether Michelle Guthrie was suitable for the job of ABC managing director was open to debate — a debate eventually resolved by the ABC board in the negative — there is no such confusion about whether chair Justin Milne is suitable for his job. He manifestly isn’t, and must go, and quickly, before any further damage to the ABC’s independence is done.”

The death of the ‘safe Liberal seat’William Bowe

“After all the trouble the party went through recently in the name of restoring favour with its ‘base’, it’s curious that the Liberal Party should have emerged from its leadership crisis with question marks hanging over some of its most historically loyal seats.”

The ballad of Ken WyattCharlie Lewis

“In the maelstrom that followed the axing of Malcolm Turnbull, we heard that Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt was considering a defection to Labor. It’s something he has strenuously denied… But if, as those who broke the story insist, it’s true — who could blame him? Crikey struggles to recall an Australian politician (aside from the last four prime ministers, of course) more consistently dicked about by their own party than Wyatt.”

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Catholic school numbers to stagnate over next decade

Crossbench disquiet grows over ‘draconian’ spyware bill

Great Barrier Reef scientists told to focus on projects to make government look good

Victoria Police no-show hits probe into car theft, say federal Lib MPs ($)

AGL promises no change in strategic direction, coal closures not “ideological”

WA finances improve but public sector is fed up with the heavy lifting

Secret report claims health system underfunded by $100 million a year ($)

Barnaby Joyce water proposal backed by former lobbyist preselected by Nationals

Builders fear the cost of apartments will rise as SA could go it alone on energy plan ($)

Business council faces negative ad blitz over criticism of 45% emissions target

PNG pushed by China on $1.25bn power deal ($)

HOLD THE FRONT PAGE

THE COMMENTARIAT

Adopt quotas for female MPs or face extinction, Hewson tells Libs — John Hewson (Sydney Morning Herald): “It is time to be blunt about the numbers of Liberal women in Parliament. With the ALP at 46 per cent and rising, and the LNP at 25 per cent and falling, this is not just a challenge for the party, but is probably fundamental to its longer-term survival.”

It’s clear: ABC chairman Justin Milne should be sacked ($) — Andrew Bolt (Herald Sun): “Remember, it stinks that Milne was made chairman in the first place. He had minimal experience in the media, yet was given the plum ABC job at the urgent insistence of his friend Turnbull, for whom he’d worked at internet service provider Ozemail, helping to make Turnbull rich. That, to me, already made him seem a compromised chairman, rather than the fearlessly independent one of an independent national broadcaster.”

Ditching the Horne prize’s new guidelines was a mistake. Here’s why — Jack Latimore (The Guardian): “Monday’s commotion over the submission criteria for this year’s edition of a lucrative essay award, the Horne prize, was an amusing spectacle to observe for many First Nations writers and very likely numerous other wordsmiths from marginalised communities.”

WHAT’S ON TODAY

Adelaide

• Final day of SA budget estimates will hear from the Department for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services; and the Department for Recreation, Sport and Racing.

• Chair of the Allison Baden-Clay Foundation, and sister of Allison, Vanessa Fowler will present “Not so pretty: Unmasking domestic violence” at Adelaide Oval.

• UK Entrepreneur of the Year Dr Guy Turnbull will deliver “SA: Towards a co-operative state – Unleashing social and economic prosperity” at a Don Dunstan Foundation event.

Canberra

• CFMEU protestors will rally in support of ACT secretary Jason O’Mara, who is facing cartel charges, outside the Magistrate Court.

• Director of ANU Coral Bell School of Asia-Pacific Affairs Professor Toni Erskine will chair seminar event “Why Australia Needs a Radically New Defence Policy”.

• Winners for the 2018 ACT Chief Minister’s Export Awards will be announced at the National Gallery of Australia.

• A book launch will be held for Kurdish journalist and Manus detainee Behrouz Boochani’s book No Friend but the Mountains at the Allan Barton Forum.

Melbourne

• AFL grand final performers Black Eyed Peas and Jimmy Barnes will speak at a press conference with AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan ahead of Saturday’s game.

• European manufacturing giant Airbus Defence and Space will sign a statement of intent with Australia’s Space Agency.

• The Victorian Electoral Commission will provide a media briefing ahead of the November 24 state election.

• Environmentalist Tim Flannery and political scientist Robyn Eckersley will present “The climate change emergency: What can be done?” at ACMI.

Sydney

• Nominations for the Wentworth by-election will close at midday today.

• Justice Virginia Bell and author Anne McLeod will speak on the “First 100 Years of Women in Law” at a Women Lawyers Association of NSW event.

• Day one of the four-day Australian Psychological Society Congress.

• Author and climate change activist Anna Rose and 350.org Pacific Campaigner Joseph Zane Sikulu will speak on “Tackling climate change: Why you’re more powerful than you think” at the Australian Museum.

• A finalists exhibition will be launched for the 10th annual SUNSTUDIOS Emerging Photographer Award.

Brisbane

• Together Queensland unionists will protest the state government’s 0% wages offer with a stop work action and Emma Miller Place rally.

• Labor MPs Graham Perrett and Duncan Pegg will speak at Young Modern Co-op’s forum event “Shattering Assumptions – A night for young Muslims in Brisbane”.

• Local economists Brendan Markey-Towler and Nicholas Johnson will speak on “The 4th Industrial Revolution” for the Precinct’s latest Talk of Today event.

• Art from the Margins will launch its 2018 Outsider Art Awards exhibition at Brisbane’s Old Museum, with guest speaker and paralympic gold-medallist Lakeisha Patterson.

Darwin

• The Select Committee on a Northern Territory Harm Reduction Strategy for Addictive Behaviours will hold a public forum.

• Paralympian and founder of the Sport Access Foundation Katie Kelly will announce the organisation’s new grant scheme at a Property Council event.

• Academic and author Dr Dino Hodge will present “The Northern Territory genesis of First Nations LGBTQI history in Australia” at the Northern Territory Archives Centre.

Hobart

• The Huon Producers’ Network will hold their AGM as well as a candidate Q&A for the Huon Valley Council elections.

• Author Clementine Ford will launch her book “Boys Will Be Boys” at the RACV RACT Hobart Apartment Hotel.

• The Bookend Trust will host the “Where? Where? Wedgie!” wedge-tailed eagle expo.

Perth

• Former WA Leader of the National Party Brendon Grylls will speak on his journey into filmmaking at a Crescent Institute event.

• Greens leader Senator Richard Di Natale, WA Senator Jordon Steele-John and Fremantle candidate Dorinda Cox will speak at a Greens’ “A Future For All Of Us” event.

• The University of Western Australia will hold an forum discussion of “Women in prison and Einstein’s definition of madness: Doing what doesn’t work – over and over and over….”

Launceston, Tasmania

• Labor’s Senator Helen Polley and Ross Hart MP will discuss the recently announced royal commission into the aged care sector.

Newcastle, NSW

• Day one of the four-day National Young Writers’ Festival.

Wellington, New Zealand

• Reserve Bank of New Zealand will make a cash rate decision, largely expected to continue the current rate of a record low 1.75 per cent.

New York, USA

• New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, UK Prime Minister Theresa May, former US President Bill Clinton and others will address the Bloomberg Global Business Forum.