This view was strongly rejected by the committee's government senators,whose dissenting report said the inquiry had found"no evidence of a single incident of political interference in the ABC by the government,the former prime minister,or the minister for communications". They also rejected all claims the government attempted to interfere with editorial matters at the ABC.
The Senate committee,led by Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young,also included Liberal deputy chairman Jonathon Duniam,three Labor senators and one Nationals senator.
The inquiry wascalled by Communications Minister Mitch Fifield in October after revelations that former ABC chairman Justin Milne encouraged then managing director Michelle Guthrie to fire journalists he thought the government didn't like.
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Mr Milne resigned after details of conversations and emails between himself and Ms Guthrie about senior reporters including Emma Alberici were made public. The former chairman was particularly concerned that upsetting the government would stop the broadcaster getting funding for adigitisation project.
Labor and Greens senators used the report to accuse the government of being"complicit in the events of 2018 ... by using funding as a lever to exert political influence in the ABC".
"If funding had been less penurious and more stable,this would have better supported the ABC to carry out its charter functions and plan for the future,"they said,calling a five-year funding model"worthy of serious consideration".