Labor pledges to reverse Liberal cuts to the ABC

The Shadow Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland, says Labor has committed to reversing the Liberals’ $83.7 million cut to the ABC, as well as guaranteeing stable funding over the next budget cycle.

Labor says a question mark continues to hang over the Enhanced Newsgathering Program funding for the ABC which was introduced by Labor in 2013, then cut back by the Liberals.

Funding runs out in only a few months and the Minister has not confirmed whether it will be continued.
 

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At the Senate Inquiry into allegations of political interference in the ABC this week, the Acting ABC Managing Director, David Anderson, warned that without extension of that funding and combined with the Liberal Government’s $83.7 million budget cut, the ABC faces a $127 million budget hole over the next three years.

He was asked specifically about the enhanced news gathering funding. If that specific targetted funding is not renewed “there will be an additional 80 jobs lost,” he said. See our earlier report for more details.

Labor is calling on Communications Minister Mitch Fifield to confirm extension of the funding for enhanced newsgathering as a matter of urgency.
 

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