By political reporter Latika Bourke Updated Thu 30 Jan 2014
Photo: Tony Abbott's comments about the ABC have been rejected by Malcolm Turnbull. (AAP: Daniel Munoz)
Related Story: Tony Abbott steps up criticism of ABC
Federal Government MPs are openly feuding about the Coalition's treatment of the ABC with some defending it against Prime Minister Tony Abbott's claim that the broadcaster is unpatriotic and others continuing to call for it to be reined in.
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull is reminding his colleagues that the corporation's "internal programming and editorial decisions" are the responsibility of the "ABC board and executive".
Mr Turnbull said while politicians were entitled to express disappointment with the ABC, they could not tell them what to write.
"What's the alternative...the editor-in-chief [of the ABC] becomes the Prime Minister?" the minister told Fairfax.
Mr Turnbull's comments have been echoed by some of his parliamentary colleagues including the new Liberal member for the western Sydney seat of Reid Craig Laundy, who has defended the ABC on his Facebook page.
Mr Laundy said he was not coming out in support of the ABC but speaking out in favour of free speech and a free media.
Video: Liberal MP Craig Laundy says the ABC has a fundamental right to speak freely. (ABC News)
"These are fundamental to our way of life, what I am here to defend is their right to go about their business and say what they want," Mr Laundy told ABC News 24.
The row over the ABC ignited yesterday when Mr Abbott accused the corporation of being on everybody's side "except Australia's".
Asked whether it was the ABC's role to be patriotic, Mr Laundy said it was the ABC's role to be impartial.
Victorian Liberal Sharman Stone said the charge that the ABC was "un-Australian" had not been her experience.
She said it was "precious" to rural and regional Australians, but it should not be exempted from finding budget efficiencies.
Mr Abbott's comments were strongly backed by Liberal National Senator Ian MacDonald who told Radio National he had long held the view that the ABC lacked balance.
ABC chief defends spy article
ABC managing director Mark Scott last month defended publishing the Indonesian spying story after senior minister Malcolm Turnbull called the move an "error of judgment".
"I guess you could extend that to patriotism... it'd be nice to see it occasionally reporting some positives," he said.
Arriving at Canberra airport ahead of today's Cabinet meeting, Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews said the ABC should be open to constructive criticism about its performance.
"What goes around comes around," he said.
Greens leader Christine Milne has also spoken out in defence of the ABC.
"What Tony Abbott is suggesting is that any news outlet, particularly the ABC, which is critical of any government policy, will come in for criticism from him," she said earlier today.
"The ABC is independent. It is loved by Australians. It produces excellent stories and news bulletins and it must be allowed to freely, fairly and fearlessly report the news."
Plibersek says Government preparing to break funding promise
It comes as acting Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek seized on a report that the Government would axe the ABC's overseas arm the Australia Network, which costs more than $220 million in funding.
She accused the Government of preparing to break its pre-election promise that there would be no funding cuts to the ABC, and said the Coalition was engaging in a "petty tit-for-tat exchange with our national broadcaster".
A spokesman for the Prime Minister said the story was "pure speculation".
