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SBS feeds a new Zaky Mallah controversy

The Abbott Government has hosed down reports that convicted criminal Zaky Mallah, whose appearance on ABC’s Q&A program caused a political storm, is set to star in his own TV show.

Reports suggest there is a proposal for SBS show The Feed to follow Mallah to places including a mosque, his parents’ home and a courthouse.

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However Finance Minister Mathias Cormann today told Sky News he was confident the proposal would not go ahead.

Mr Cormann said he and Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull spoke with SBS managing director Michael Ebeid this morning.

“Any suggestion there was ever any proposal for this convicted criminal and terrorist sympathiser to have his own show is completely wrong,” he said.

“There was a proposal, I am advised, from a freelance journalist that had not gone through the proper editorial SBS managing director Michael Ebeid processes of SBS yet in anyway shape or form.

“So I am very confident based on the comments from SBS managing director Michael Ebeid that this will not go ahead in any way shape or form.”

According to News Corp report, the SBS show proposal involved Mallah, who was jailed in 2005 for threatening ASIO staff, co-staring with Kim Vuga, whose views were aired on the SBS documentary Go Back to Where You Came From.

An SBS producer told Ms Vuga in an email, the proposal was “under wraps” and “we’d rather just get it on TV without him (Mr Ebeid) finding out”, the report says.

However, Ms Vuga confirmed she would have no part of any show involving Mallah.

“Given what happened at the ABC and the number of investigations going on, I was surprised SBS would even consider a show with Zaky Mallah,” she told News Corp.

A ban was placed on Abbott Government ministers appearing on Q&A in June after Mallah appeared on the show in the studio audience.

This month the ABC board agreed to move the show into its news division after responding to criticism about giving Mallah a platform.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott told board chairman James Spiegelman he would end a ministerial ban on the program if it was moved to the news division.

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