Far from having a leftwing bias, the ABC has been tamed by cuts and incessant attacks | Kevin Rudd

When your opponent is determined for war, history teaches us appeasement does not work. Indeed, unilateral concessions are often counterproductive: they weaken your position and embolden your adversary.

Sadly, these are lessons that the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, by and large, has failed to learn. Over the past decade of conservative rule, the national broadcaster has been gradually tamed by an unrelenting campaign of bullying, intimidation and delegitimisation.

The Murdochs insist they have nothing to hide, while claiming the ABC is compromised. If they actually believed this, they would have welcomed a wide-ranging media royal commission years ago.

In the space of 60 minutes, Speers interrupted Albanese on more than 60 occasions. How anyone could watch that program and see leftwing bias is beyond me. Whatever motivated Speers, his approach would not have helped many undecided voters decide which party to support.

Second, the independent selection panels for the ABC must be strengthened. When Labor designed the panels, we did not imagine that a future government would be so brazen in ignoring their recommendations. This could include legally limiting the proportion of directors who could be appointed outside the panel process.

The alternative is to continue seeking to appease the far right. And that only ends badly.