ABC officials confirmed at recent Senate estimates hearings that politicians have made both formal and informal complaints about ABC Fact Check verdicts. ABC fact check presenter John Barron. Credit:ABC Independent Senator Nick Xenophon described the unit as a "thorn in the side" of politicians of all sides who make dubious claims. "Politicians might be happy about this outcome but voters should be outraged," he said. "This is a backward leap for accountability.

"I believe the fact check unit was a small price to pay to keep politicians on their toes." The unit, launched in August 2013 with around 10 staff, was championed by recently departed managing director Mark Scott. The Fact Check segments have been presented by ABC veteran John Barron and the unit has been led by former senior Fairfax journalist Russell Skelton. Researchers, producers and social media staff were also hired specifically for the unit. At the time, Mr Scott said it would provide "dispassionate analysis" and "enrich" the ABC's journalism.

Editorial director Alan Sunderland said the unit - which assesses the truthfulness of politicians' statements - would help the broadcaster serve the public interest. "There is a great demand out there for people saying, 'Look, there's an endless discussion about the NBN or climate change or about tax polices or surpluses," he said in 2013. "We need a basic set of agreed facts, what we all know about the situation to assist us to understand and interpret what is going on in the media, what comments and statements are being made.' " But the unit has been controversial since day one within the ABC, where many saw it as draining resources from more traditional newsgathering. The Fact Check unit was funded through a three-year, $20 million a year funding deal with the previous Labor government that also supported new positions in regional and suburban bureaus.

The Turnbull government renewed the Enhanced Newsgathering Initiative in the May budget with a reduced annual allocation of $13.5 million. New ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie told staff at the time: "ABC News will seek to maintain as many of the Enhanced Newsgathering initiatives as possible, with storytelling from regional and outer-suburban areas a priority. "However, there will necessarily be some changes to staffing and programming in line with the reduced allocation of funds." Recent Fack Check verdicts include a ruling of "nonsense" for union movement claims that building workers have fewer rights than ice dealers if the Australian Building and Construction Commission was restored. Coalition frontbencher Christopher Pyne was found to be "wrong" for saying the government was not in caretaker mode while Opposition Leader Bill Shorten was "misleading" for claiming the budget took money from single mothers and gave it to millionaires.