ABC Crisis: Government moves to appoint Kirsten Ferguson as interim chair

The government has moved to appoint Kirstin Ferguson acting ABC chair, even if the prime minister couldn’t get her name right.

Scott Morrison said he’ll recommend to the Governor-General “Kristen Ferguson” fill the vacancy.

Kirstin Ferguson is currently a deputy chair, and will step in to temporarily replace Justin Milne following his resignation yesterday.

Mr Morrison promised a “rigorous appointment process” to find permanent chair, as Labor called for a bi-partisan approach.

“It is just not a process of whacking a few names together and making a decision,” the prime minister said.

“There is quite a process in place that needs to be followed. It will make recommendations to the government and the government will take things from there.”

Mr Milne quit after claims he’d pre3ssured sacked managing director, Michelle Guthrie, to fire senior journalists, Andrew Probyn, and Emma Alberici, after complaints from then prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, about their reporting standards.

The opposition is demanding the appointment of a new chair “isn’t used as a political plaything by the Liberals”.

It wants an independent panel, set up by Kevin Rudd, in 2007, to be given the job.

Shadow minister, Michelle Rowland, said there should be no partisanship.

“We’ve seen the Liberals attack and undermine the ABC’s independence. This appointment is too important and shouldn’t be used to run their anti-ABC agenda,” Ms Rowland said.

Scott Morrison, meantime, said it’d been “an ordinary week” for the public broadcaster, and it’s now time to “resume normal transmissions”.