4.4 Conflict of interest
4.4.1 There should be no conflict between the private interests of ABC staff and their official duties. The outside activities of staff, including financial, personal and political relationships, must not compromise the editorial integrity of ABC programs. Staff are expected to arrange their affairs in a manner that will prevent conflict of interest.

If our PM wins the next election, one of his first acts should be to privatize the ABC. Then they would need to please the public to survive; how radical!

Jonathan Sarfati, Brisbane

The reason we bother discussing this issue is because the media is such a powerful force. For that reason, I think it virtuous that a publicly funded and publicly managed media organisation should continue to exist. My nose is put out of joint however, when the content of that publicly owned media organisation does not generally reflect the values of those who own it and sustain it.

Damien Carson, Wynnum, Queensland

It’s a matter of principle. People should not have to pay for the dissemination of views to which they are strongly opposed.

Jonathan Sarfati, Brisbane

I hope you are right about the ABC. It still seems pretty bad news to me, but perhaps there are slow changes taking place. As I mentioned in an earlier piece, I was not at all impressed with Jones and his handling of the global warming sceptic. If he applied the same standards to all controversial guests, then I might be less worried. But he seems awfully selective as to those he really goes after, and his (the ABC’s) determination to have all sides of the story heard only occurs rarely. As I said elsewhere, the ABC regularly presents controversial – and politically correct – topics without seeing the need to provide some balance, or let the other side get a hearing. So why the need in the case of Durkin?

Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch