Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett has slammed the ABC for using public money “to set us all up” and report stories selectively.

Speaking at the Country Liberal Party’s campaign launch on Sunday, 13 days before the Northern Territory election on August 27, Mr Kennett joined Chief Minister Adam Giles in condemning ABC’s Four Corners program on Darwin’s Don Dale youth detention centre as “unbalanced” and aiming to do political damage.

“I am not a great supporter of the ABC … I like good news, I like responsible, I like balanced commentary, but what I saw the other day was not balanced, it was timed to deliver as much damage (as possible) to a good government going into an election,” Mr Kennett told a gathering of about 150 people in Darwin.

The footage broadcast was mostly old, he said, and was “out and out an appalling attack” on those working in the prison system.

“At times I get the feeling that the ABC uses our money to set us all up, to put together stories they’ve worked on for years, where they’ve interviewed people for hours and they only deliver part of the story for their own reasons,” Mr Kennett said.

His comments echo those of Mr Giles and his deputy Peter Styles earlier in the week, in which they questioned the timing of the report.

“What I saw the other day was not balanced, it was timed to deliver as much damage (as possible) to a good government going into an election.”
Jeff Kennett

Mr Giles said the story also sowed racial discord in the NT and was in itself racist.

The ABC has denied the allegations.

Mr Kennett also took a swipe at the NT News for being “so down on this government for so long when it’s actually been governing”.

He admitted that the scandal-plagued first-term CLP government had not been perfect.

“But when you get the opportunity to get behind and support a government that has delivered for the future, you have to ask yourself in real terms, what is more important? Is it more important to be perfect … or is it better to actually have the courage to deliver?”

He praised the government for having a good record of delivery and for improving the standing of the NT economy, and said Mr Giles, whose leadership style has been called “arrogant”, should wear the title as a “badge of honour”.

“The days of political leadership that puts popularity first have cost this country dearly,” Mr Kennett said.

-AAP