QLD Senator calls for sale of triple j

Queensland Senator James McGrath used his first speech to call for an immediate sale of triple j.

“[..] triple j, because of its demographic dominance and clear ability to stand on its own, should be immediately sold,” said the former Deputy Federal Director of the Liberal Party to the senate last night.

TMN talked to a spokesman for ABC this morning who said there are no plans to sell triple j.

McGrath has also called for a review of the ABC, due to its “inner-city leftist views”. McGrath said that if the national broadcaster fails to “make inroads to restore balance” then it should be sold and replaced by a rural broadcasting service.

“As someone who grew up in regional Queensland, I grew up with the ABC but the ABC has left people like me and my constituents behind.

“I want to support the ABC. I like the ABC,” he said. “Yet while it continues to represent only inner-city leftist views, and is funded by our taxes, it is in danger of losing its social licence to operate.”

His rousing comments about the ABC’s alleged bias come at a vulnerable time for the broadcaster, who just last week were notified that up to 80 people would lose their positions at ABC as a result of the Federal Government’s move to cancel its Australia Network contract.

The cuts break Prime Minister Tony Abbots key election promise during the 2013 election where he said there would be “no change to the GST and no cuts to the ABC or SBS.”