Scott Morrison lauds the ABC's likely new chair Ita Buttrose
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has lauded the person likely to be the ABC's new chair as an extraordinary Australian who has done more for journalism than almost any other, saying the much-awaited replacement would have the uphill task of repairing the public broadcaster's reputation following last year's departure of both chair and managing director.
Ita Buttrose, the 2013 Australian of the Year, and former editor of Cleo, Australian Women's Weekly and The Daily Telegraph, will be nominated by Communications Minister Mitch Fifield to become chair almost six months after her predecessor, Justin Milne, departed the company with managing director Michelle Guthrie following a public breakdown of their professional relationship in September.
Her likely nomination comes despite her name being absent from the shortlist produced by an independent panel following a search by recruitment firm Korn Ferry.
"I've known Ita for a long time and I think she's an extraordinary Australian," Mr Morrison told ABC News Breakfast on Monday morning.
"There have been few people more than Ita that I think have lifted the standards of journalism in this country and I think that says a lot about her character and her abilities."
Mr Morrison's comments appear to be an endorsement of Ms Buttrose, who would need the Prime Minister's approval before her nomination were to be considered by cabinet.
Ms Buttrose would beat out the four men included in a final shortlist presented to the government, including former Fairfax Media chief executive Greg Hywood, former News Corp chief executive Kim Williams, Film Victoria president Ian Robertson, and Gilbert + Tobin managing partner Danny Gilbert.
Peter Ryan, senior business correspondent at the ABC, warned on Monday that Ms Buttrose's appointment would be controversial given she wasn't on the supplied shortlist.
"While Ita Buttrose would be a popular choice, her appointment would still be controversial given that her name was not included after a global search by the headhunters Korn Ferry," he said.
Media Watch host Paul Barry was surprised the government was casting the shortlist aside.
"Seriously? Is the government really going to ignore the selection panel's advice again and appoint Ita Buttrose to ABC chair, when she's not even on the short list?" Mr Barry wrote on Twitter.
Most recently, Ms Buttrose featured on Nine's Today Extra, and was a host on Network Ten's morning breakfast outfit Studio Ten. She has been a News Limited and Australian Consolidated Press director, and was president of the Chief Executive Women organisation.
The ABC chair position became vacant in September, after emails revealed Mr Milne had encouraged Ms Guthrie to sack the ABC's chief economics correspondent Emma Alberici for "sticking it" to the government.
Alberici wrote an article on the government's plans to cut the corporate tax rate, which was amended following editors' concerns it breached the ABC's rules of impartiality.
Mr Milne also reportedly suggested Ms Guthrie dump political editor Andrew Probyn, saying "you have to shoot him" after the government complained about Probyn's coverage.