When Abbott took over as the leader of the Federal Government, the ABC’s senior sports correspondent Dan Gorman was sceptical of Abbott’s ability to steer the Coalition to victory in 2019.
In a column in The Australian newspaper, Gorman questioned Abbott’s credentials, saying: “There are many questions about his competence to run the Government.”
“The fact that he is the leader and his appointment to the role is not only a clear signal that his leadership style is not in line with Australian values, but that his approach to politics and the government is inconsistent with Australian principles, suggests that he has not fully grasped the gravity of his role.”
Abbott has since been endorsed by the AFL and the ACT, and the ABC has spoken to more than a dozen people in the organisation who have said they are still undecided about whether to back him.
But while Gorman’s scepticism has cooled, Abbott’s relationship with the ABC and the Australian public has remained steadfast.
“The Australian public still likes him, but they don’t like him, and that’s something we know for a fact,” ABC managing director Mark Scott said.
“He has made it clear that they don
