Malcolm Turnbull speaking today about the ABC:

COMMUNICATIONS Minister Malcolm Turnbull has accused the ABC of ‘last century work practices’ and warned the public broadcaster that he had experience in restructuring television networks.

He told the Coalition party room today that the ABC had committed a ‘shocking error of judgment’ in partnering with The Guardian on the publication of a document leaked by US fugitive Edward Snowden.

In response to a scathing critique of the broadcaster by South Australian Senator Cory Bernardi, Mr Turnbull defended ABC managing director Mark Scott and said the broadcaster was not ‘cannibalising’ private media companies.

However, he suggested the ABC’s operations could be modernised, saying ‘old-fashioned’ and ‘last century work practices’ were a problem for the broadcaster.

‘I’ve actually restructured a television network,’ Mr Turnbull told colleagues, referring to his work as a broadcast lawyer in the 1990s sale of Network Ten.

Mr Turnbull also questioned whether the broadcaster was adhering to its obligations under law.

‘The real question is, is the ABC adhering to its statutory charter and in particular its obligation to give fair treatment to both sides of politics,’ Mr Turnbull said, according to those at the meeting.