There are few institutions more beloved of mainstream Australia than the ABC. When firestorms roar at the edge of settlement, or flood waters rise, millions of Australians instinctively turn to the national broadcaster. But they are there too for the in-between years, when nothing really happens, nothing really matters, to borrow from the Oils.

Once upon a time we reached for the bakelite dials on the Emerson Clockette Radiola. Of late we might fire up the smart phone app. Not all of us, and not every day. For many, months might go by without finding reason to listen to Aunty. Others all but live there.

"Murdoch meanwhile, is utterly transparent in his motivations." Credit:Reuters

The ABC is as much a part of Australian life as the first ball of the cricket season or a hot pie at the footy in July. It is the old Australia of gardening and antique shows, but also the new Australia of Good Game on iView and hundreds of Aussie hip hop artists on Triple J’s Unearthed.

Much as Cory Bernadi might dream of winding the clock back to a time when the ABC came into our homes via the crackle of a simple AM radio station, we are long past the era of anyone knocking pencils on a wooden block to pretend the cricket commentary came live from Lords. It is no more possible to separate the old and new national broadcaster than it is to separate the old and new Australia.