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Abbott’s ally boycotts Q&A

AAP

AAP

Tony Abbott’s parliamentary secretary has pulled out of an appearance on the ABC’s Q&A program, part of the government’s ongoing backlash against the public broadcaster’s decision to allow a convicted criminal on air.

Alan Tudge’s withdrawal from Monday night’s program comes as the government reviews how the ABC let Zaky Mallah ask a question last week.

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“It does not mean I will never attend, but I am concerned my participation could be construed as suggesting the prime minister and government are not taking the matters from last week incredibly seriously,” he wrote in The Australian on Monday.

“We are.”

The boycott came after Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull accused the ABC of “playing at tabloid journalism”.

“They wanted to create the biggest shock and awe and sensation,” he told ABC TV on Sunday.

Mr Turnbull announced a formal review into the “shocking mistake”, which the ABC has acknowledged was an error in judgement.

He denied he was trying to encroach on editorial independence.

“We have to find out what happened,” Mr Turnbull said.

“That is not telling them what to do.”

The Opposition has also criticised the ABC’s decision, and backed the review, but called for it to be ‘calm and methodical’.

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