Mr Nikolic has fired off an angry letter to ABC managing director Mark Scott, accusing him of using the government’s cuts to make unnecessary program and personnel changes.

‘‘I believe the ABC board and you as managing director have shown unsatisfactory leadership,’’ Mr Nikolic said.

‘‘Most prominent is ABC mythmaking about the relatively modest efficiencies imposed by government and your linkage of those efficiencies to ABC program and personnel cuts.

‘‘In my view the ABC in Tasmania has become unacceptably Hobart-centric at the expense of the North and North-West.’’

The ABC announced this week that it will shed 400 staff, including at least eight from Tasmania, after the federal government announced cuts of $254 million over the next five years.

Mr Nikolic said the broadcaster was failing in its duty to represent rural and regional Australia.

‘‘It would appear to make more sense strategically to expand into regional areas to provide better services, rather than further centralising the ABC at Ultimo [in Sydney],’’ he said.

An ABC spokesman said the broadcaster was committed to its audience in Tasmania and rural Australia.

‘‘The ABC offers the most comprehensive coverage of the issues that affect regional Australia, including Tasmania, and the stories of the Australians who live there,’’ he said.

‘‘No other media organisation can match the range of services the ABC offers to these audiences.’’