The image of the benign, slightly fuddy-duddy old eccentric has been wrong for some time. But in recent weeks, the mask has finally slipped. Rather than the nation’s lovable Aunty, the ABC is increasingly behaving like a stubborn, bigoted and embittered old spinster. Grumpy and defensive, our national broadcaster appears erratic and thin-skinned as she refuses to apologise for her recent unladylike behaviour.

That the ABC’s Media Watch felt compelled to criticise its own colleagues for ‘overreach’ and ‘getting it wrong’ during the reporting of unsubstantiated and lurid Navy abuse allegations was as unusual as it was telling. Yet the fact host Paul Barry chose to do so only after regurgitating a litany of trite criticisms against his usual suspects — from Andrew Bolt to Miranda Devine — was a clear sign that this mea culpa was the exception to the otherwise steadfast rule: the ABC is above reproach. Indeed, Mark Scott himself sees nothing wrong in the reporting of the ‘hot pipes’ story.

Mr Scott’s defence of running unsubstantiated allegations is absurd. If such is normal practice, why didn’t the ABC broadcast in detail or at all the extraordinary and equally eyebrow-raising allegations against Julia Gillard and the AWU slush fund? What if allegations are made that Mr Scott himself is a womanising, alcoholic gambler with a fondness for leather masks: should they be run? To broadcast wild allegations and downplay the alternative view, even in these circumstances, is unacceptable. And when the slant fits a sadly typical leftist world view, it compounds the problem. Hence the outrage; and the need for head of news Gavin Morris to remind journalists to neither ‘embellish’ nor ‘add flourishes’ to their stories.

Alas, the trouble with Aunty is that there is no quick fix; no easy way to address the consistent complaint of bias. Short of privatising the ABC — which conservatives and libertarians increasingly advocate (see, for instance, Neil Brown and Elle Hardy in this issue) — what options does a Liberal government have? Any kind of regulator would be inappropriate; the last thing we’d wish for is a return to a Public Interest Media Advocate of the type put forward by Stephen Conroy last year.

We all know that the ABC has always attracted the ire of those in power, including senior Labor figures such as Bob Hawke (the first Gulf War) and Gerry Hand (detention centres) more than two decades ago. Yet the current fondness for ‘opinion’ has exacerbated the situation. In ways that were never anticipated when it was established, the ABC’s journalists now have multiple platforms to express their own personal views. On popular panel shows and websites like The Drum, Q&A and Insiders (never mind Twitter), the line between independent journalist and political activist has been erased.

No wonder some journalists have found themselves drawing on the more colourful hyperbole they employ in commentating. Until such time as the ABC removes itself from its dominance within the opinion business, or at least draws a clear red line between those factually reporting events and those commenting on politics, expect Aunty’s behaviour to remain muddled and mean-spirited

Abroad with Monsieur Bill

Had Tony Abbott or any other conservative opposition leader chosen to make their first official overseas visit to London and then (of all places) Paris, one can imagine the outrage and indignation that would have poured forth. Yet that is what Bill Shorten has done, with nary a murmur.

Along with the escargots, there would have been plenty for him to indulge in during his sojourn. After all, France today enjoys the tender ministrations of its socialist president, the dapper François Hollande. When not deciding between mistresses, le Président occupies his time figuring out how much money his 75 per cent wealth tax is likely to raise. Worryingly, it appears his country may be tipping back into recession. Zut alors.

As Mr Shorten relaxed over un petit café on the cobbled pavements of Montmartre, he could have flicked through France’s 3,200 pages of employment regulations and checked out the stranglehold unions have on employers. As it’s virtually impossible to lay off staff, French firms rely on fixed contracts that particularly punish those looking for work, especially in a downturn. Perhaps this is why French unemployment recently jumped to 10.9 per cent, a 16-year high. Still, Monsieur Bill may be pleased to learn that at least household spending was up in November, although it turns out this was due to high energy bills courtesy of the unusually freezing temperatures. Coincidentally, the French president is hosting a climate change conference next year in Paris; famed for being the ‘city of light’. Vive le Socialisme.