At the Senate Estimates hearing in Canberra today, ABC Managing Director Russell Balding was asked if he planned to axe Radio National. His answer was “no”.

At the Estimates hearing Director of Radio Sue Howard was questioned about reported comments where she described Radio National as “boring as bat shit.”

Sue Howard replied she actually told RN staff: “We cannot afford our programs to be as boring as bat shit!”

At the hearing Balding told the Estimates Committee the cost of monitoring radio and tv programs in the lead up to the election would be capped at $200,000.