Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has ordered the entire top brass in his government to boycott a talk show titled Q&A which is aired on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The order which followed widespread criticism of ABC for allowing former terror suspect and self-styled Muslim activist Zaky Mallah to come on air, led to the Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce to cancel his presence in an upcoming episode. Meanwhile the ABC has accepted its fault in letting Mallah appear live on the programme to ask questions. Source: Reuters

Accusations of being autocratic

On the other hand Australian politician Joel Fitzgibbon said that Joyce should stand up to the prime minister and said that this boycott was more about Abbott's "mind games". He alleged that the PM is adamant on shutting down any debate which goes against his position. The Australian PM has also been accused of taking an authoritarian line in the past.

Source: The Maitland Mercury