‘Such an ABC perspective’: Peter Dutton faces off with 7.30 host Sarah Ferguson over national broadcaster’s ‘left wing’ media bias

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has accused the national broadcaster of championing the interests of the Albanese government in the wake of outcry surrounding stage three tax cuts through what he claims is a “far left culture” embedded within the ABC.

Mr Dutton spoke to current affairs program 7.30 in an interview with host Sarah Ferguson on Wednesday night, where the pair went toe-to-toe on debating Labor’s motive behind backflipping on its key election promise of not amending the previously legislated tax package.

After weeks of objecting the revised tax cuts and heavily criticising Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for his broken pledge, the Coalition agreed to the reforms before the return of federal parliament this week, agreeing not to “stand in the way” of bigger cuts for a majority of Australians.

In light of Mr Dutton’s decision, Ms Ferguson asked him whether he could now admit the Prime Minister had displayed a level of “political courage” with breaking his tax promise – knowing the backlash it would receive – to maximise cost of living relief for struggling households.

“Do you give credit actually, to the government for taking a big political risk in breaking a promise in order to help those families?” the 7.30 host asked.

“Well, Sarah, I don’t think it’s your job to push the position of the government,” the opposition leader responded.

Ms Ferguson retorted saying the question was “absolutely not” advocating for the government but instead was one needing to be addressed from the position of an outside political observer.

“I wish it was,” Mr Dutton replied, likening her question to “praise” of the PM.

“You put it to me whether or not the government needs to be praised and I don’t believe that breaking a significant promise in the way the Prime Minister has for his own political purposes deserves to be praised. You might have a different view but that’s my view.”

The Opposition Leader went on to reiterate that the Coalition decided to support the new tax cuts only on the basis of the number of families suffering financial stress in the post-pandemic economy, while claiming Mr Albanese’s “lie” with the policy was politically timed ahead of the Dunkley by-election.

On a separate note, Mr Dutton was asked to reflect on a comment he made this week referencing former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull’s description of him in the Nemesis docuseries.

In the second episode of the ABC series released, titled The Turnbull Years, the ex-PM was asked to describe Mr Dutton in a single word, to which he chose “thug”.

Fronting a press pack on Tuesday, the Opposition Leader was asked to respond to the description by a reporter. Mr Dutton answered: “Have you found me to be a thug?”

On 7.30, Ms Ferguson pressed him on whether he though the remark was an appropriate one to make before the media and whether him addressing the issue publicly reflected on the “difficult first week” he had back in Parliament.

“Do you feel also that your political momentum is slipping away?” she asked.

Mr Dutton hit back at the question for being reflective of the national broadcaster’s typically left wing views that often publicised in favour of Labor governments. 

“I just think it’s such an ABC perspective, if I might say. All the culture that’s so far left within the ABC just seems to permeate through many questions when you go on to a program like this,” he responded.

“I think you are the only journalists that is putting that analysis there, apart from The Guardian, apart some of the other left-wing online publications.

“The fact is that we are more united than ever in the Liberal Party. Nobody is looking backwards; we are holding the government to account.”