Federal Minister for Education and South Australian Christopher Pyne has momentarily forgotten he’s in power and started an online petition to save the ABC in South Australia.

On Wednesday, his colleague Malcolm Turnbull is expected to announce budget cuts to the national broadcaster which will include the closure of an ABC television production facility in Mr Pyne’s home state.

Mr Pyne appears to have set aside party loyalty to criticise the budget cuts. The petition asks to “please ensure that the ABC does not close its production house in Adelaide.”

The facility has produced award-winning show Dream Build as well as The Cook and The Chef, Poh’s Kitchen and the Beatles 50th anniversary tour documentary among others.

“The board must reassure South Australians that the local TV production house of the ABC will remain in South Australia,” Mr Pyne’s petition says.

A spokesman for Mr Pyne said there was absolutely no reason for Sydney-based ABC management to reduce services in Adelaide.

Mr Pyne’s Twitter followers mocked the move, reminding him that he’s a member of the party currently making the cuts.

• Malcolm Turnbull flags ABC budget cuts
• What does the ABC stand to lose?

The tweet and petition comes after Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull flagged government budget cuts to the ABC of around $50 million a year.

“We’re spending more than we are receiving … so we’ve got to raise some more money and we’ve got to spend less,” Mr Turnbull said on Q&A on Monday evening.

The ABC must not close its production house in Adelaide. Sign my petition: http://t.co/dlgpdoU5g1 @KevCorduroy @mscott @891adelaide #auspol

— Christopher Pyne (@cpyne) November 18, 2014

Seriously, Chris? You’re a cabinet minister. You don’t need petitions. @cpyne @KevCorduroy @mscott @891adelaide — Bill (@Billablog) November 18, 2014

.@cpyne have you tried to talking to @TurnbullMalcolm? I thought you guys would know each other?

— Craig Harvey (@Craig_Harvey) November 18, 2014

.@cpyne @KevCorduroy @mscott @891adelaide are you serious? You do know that it’s you and your government that’s doing this?! #auspol — RogueLabor ESQ (@RogueLabor) November 18, 2014

And he’s really excited to have already had 200 people sign-up. Go Christopher!

We’ve hit 200! Thanks to all for kindly helping to promote my petition to stop ABC Board from cutting SA production. http://t.co/h7LyMjpjRe

— Christopher Pyne (@cpyne) November 19, 2014