Tony Abbott says ABC unpatriotic

Tony Abbott, Australia's prime minister, has been accused of an "extraordinary" attack on democracy after he urged the public broadcaster, the ABC, to be more patriotic and attacked it for taking "everyone's side but Australia's".

Referring to the ABC's publication of leaks by Edward Snowden and to a separate story airing claims that the navy had abused asylum seekers, Mr Abbott, a former journalist, said a national broadcaster should have "at least some basic affection for the home team".

"A lot of people feel at the moment that the ABC instinctively takes everyone's side but Australia's," he told 2GB, a commercial radio station whose main presenters are ardent supporters of his ruling coalition.

"I think it is a problem. You would like the national broadcaster to have a rigorous commitment to truth and at least some basic affection for the home team ... You can't leap to be critical of your own country and you certainly ought to be prepared to give the Australian navy and its hard-working personnel the benefit of the doubt."

Mr Abbott said he was concerned about the ABC's decision to report leaks by the "traitor" Snowden, the former US spy agency contractor, who revealed Australian spies had tapped the phones of Indonesian leaders including president Susilo Bambang Yudohoyono and his wife. The story led to a diplomatic crisis and prompted Indonesia to downgrade ties.

"The ABC seemed to delight in broadcasting allegations by a traitor," Mr Abbott said.

"The ABC didn't just report what he said, they took the lead in advertising what he said, and that was a deep concern."

A political commentator, Michael Gordon, said the "extraordinary" comments were hypocritical and deeply flawed. He pointed out that ABC had just helped to break one of the week's top stories, an expose of union corruption which came just as Mr Abbott revealed plans to launch an inquiry into union misconduct.

"Tony Abbott's tirade against the ABC betrays a deeply flawed view of the role of the Australian media," he wrote in The Age.

"That it comes from a man who has always expressed pride in his past life as a professional journalist makes the outburst all the more puzzling ... This astonishing proposition – that coverage should be somehow skewed by nationalism, or patriotism – sits uncomfortably with the ideals of a robust democracy with a free, fair and fearless media."

Labor said the ABC was "there for all Australians" and its coverage had always been tough on the ruling party.

"Since it began, every government has been subject to the close scrutiny of the ABC and we should all welcome that," said Tanya Plibersek, Labor's acting leader.

The ABC reported Mr Abbott's comments but did not issue a response.