ABC splurges almost $3m in taxpayer-funded bonuses

THE ABC forked out almost $2.6 million on taxpayer-funded bonuses — some as much as $70,000 — to some of its highest-paid employees last year.

THE ABC forked out almost $2.6 million on taxpayer-funded bonuses — some as much as $70,000 — to some of its highest-paid employees last year.

The public broadcaster, which has mounted a fierce campaign against a government freeze in its funding, rewarded 189 employees on executive pay grades more than $2.2 million.

Almost 200 non-executive employees also received bonuses totalling $384,989.

The ABC has refused to publicly disclose salaries despite Turnbull Government demands.

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It comes as ABC news director Gaven Morris warned there “is no more fat left to cut” at the national broadcaster and any more would “cut into the muscle of the organisation”.

The broadcaster’s 2016-17 report also shows it splurged more than $10 million in market research and promotion and more than $1.5 million on consultancy firms.

ABC news director Gaven Morris warned there ‘is no more fat left to cut’ at the national broadcaster. Picture: AAP

The majority of the 4769 staff at the broadcaster are eligible for bonuses of 2 per cent of their base salary if they received a favourable performance review.

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield announced in last week’s Budget the ABC’s annual funding indexation would be frozen for three years from July 2019, likely costing the organisation $84 million.

It will still receive more than $3 billion over the next three years.

ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie, whose salary is disclosed as $890,987, has said freezing the indexation amounted to cutting the broadcaster.

Consultancy firms were paid as much as $90,000 for “strategic advice”, while one — Trevor-Roberts Associates — was paid $64,000 to give career advice to staff who had been made redundant. McGees Property was paid $217,118 for valuations.

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield told the ABC the funding freeze was ‘entirely about ensuring the ABC continues to be a good steward of taxpayers’ dollars’. Picture: AAP

Mr Morris, whose salary package was recently disclosed as $499,486, told the Melbourne Press Club last week the ABC was the “most minutely scrutinised media organisation in Australia”.

An ABC spokesman said all remuneration rates were disclosed and bonuses were linked to performance.

“Remuneration rates for the ABC Leadership Team are benchmarked using an external, independent provider against market rates,” he said.

Senator Fifield told the ABC last week the funding freeze was “entirely about ensuring that the ABC continues to be a good steward of taxpayers’ dollars”.

“When we balance the Budget ... we can do things like the $7.8 billion on new major projects in Victoria,” he said.

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