Redundancy costs at the ABC leapt fivefold in the past year to more than $22 million, as the organisation went through a major restructure aimed at boosting audiences and making better shows.

Details in the public broadcaster’s annual report reveal financial provisions for staff – annual leave, long service leave, superannuation and redundancy – jumped from $157.2 million to $176.1 million. The bulk of that rise, however, was in the form of redundancy payouts.