‘Unimpressed’: Shorten’s anger as ALP’s Michael Danby takes out second ABC attack ad

Federal MP Michael Danby has ramped up his campaign against Walkley-award winning journalist Sophie McNeill by taking out a second taxpayer-funded ad attacking the ABC’s coverage of Israel and Palestine.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten is said to be “deeply unimpressed” with Mr Danby’s campaign against Ms McNeill and confronted him about it on Wednesday. Mr Shorten instructed Mr Danby to pull the second ad but was told it had already gone to the printers.

On Wednesday, the Labor backbencher admitted to Fairfax Media he had charged taxpayers for the first advertisement in Australian Jewish News that claimed the national broadcaster’s Jerusalem correspondent had “double standards”.

The ABC issued a stern statement rubbishing the content of the ad, labelling it “inaccurate” and part of a series of “inappropriate attacks”.

Read the article by Broede Carmody and Adam Gartrell in The Age.