'You are a terrible flog': Sky News firebrand Chris Smith unleashes on his ex-colleague David Speers over his defection to the ABC
- David Speers moved from Sky News to host ABC show Insiders this year
- He angered former college Chris Smith while interviewing Josh Frydenberg
- Smith slammed him in public Twitter post, calling him a 'terrible flog'
Firebrand: Chris Smith
Sky News host Chris Smith has called David Speers a 'terrible flog' after his former colleague moved to the ABC to host politics show Insiders.
Speers angered Smith by referring to Sky News as 'TV' instead of mentioning the channel by name during an interview with federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg about the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China.
Smith slammed the Insiders host in a public twitter rant in which he sarcastically told him: 'Enjoy your new dumb LEFT world.'
During the interview, Speers asked Mr Frydenberg whether Australians in China would have to pay $1,000 to board an evacuation flight home after Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton told Sky News on Sunday that they would.
'Peter Dutton this morning, your colleague, on TV was saying they'd still be charged,' Speers said.
'Well they're not going to be charged,' replied the treasurer, saying Mr Dutton and the Prime Minister had previously received 'incorrect advice' from DFAT about the payment.
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Smith was furious that Speers did not credit Sky News on Sunday for Dutton's comments.
He wrote in a scathing twitter post: 'I just heard what David Speers had to say about the 1k payment from Wuhan. He said a TV show said. Can't utter @skynews when his mates credit ABC.'
Smith, who hosts Chris Smith Tonight on Thursdays, then addressed Speers directly and made his attack personal.
'You have turned badly David. Nick off. You r a terrible flog. Why would u do that? Good luck in your new dumb LEFT world. SO BAD,' he wrote.
Smith slammed the Insiders host in a public twitter rant in which he sarcastically told him: 'Enjoy your new dumb LEFT world.'
In his post Smith accidentally tagged the wrong David Speers - a father from Ohio in the US - making a response from the real Speers even less likely.
On Monday morning, more than 200 Australians left Wuhan on the free evacuation flight.
The citizens and permanent residents were airlifted from the Hubei province capital just after 11am AEDT.
The plane was due to land at the RAAF Base Learmonth near Exmouth in Western Australia's north about 2.30pm WST on Monday.
The passengers will later be taken to Christmas Island in smaller aircraft where they will be quarantined.
Speers (pictured on Insiders) angered Smith by referring to Sky News as 'TV' instead of mentioning the channel by name
