ABC spends $45,000 on David Anderson farewell party

Executives at the taxpayer-funded broadcaster defended the cost of the former MD’s farewell shindig, saying it was a ‘reasonably appropriate’ way to celebrate the longstanding staff member.

Former ABC Managing Director David Anderson. Picture: Nikki Short.

The ABC has defended spending $45,000 on a farewell party for former managing director David Anderson in the foyer of its Ultimo headquarters.

Chief financial officer Melanie Kleyn, appearing before Senate Estimates on Tuesday, noted Mr Anderson had more than 30 years of service.

“We had a number of people invited to that event,” she said.

“I think the cost would have extended to catering for the evening.

“I think we would also have paid for some employees to travel to the event who had worked with Mr Anderson over the years.”

Managing Director Hugh Marks said it was a “reasonably appropriate event for an executive that had been at the organisation a long period of time and had made many contributions”.

Liberal senator Sarah Henderson asked for a breakdown of costs which the ABC said it would provide.

Mr Anderson, whose role encompassed the ABC’s editor-in-chief duties, was paid upwards of $1.2m per year.

His reign was not without controversy.

Mr Anderson was hauled before the Federal Court last year to give testimony in fill-in radio host Antoinette Lattouf’s successful unlawful termination suit against the broadcaster.

He also oversaw the damaging fallout from the ABC’s coronation coverage in May 2023, when the taxpayer-funded media giant was swamped with close to 2000 viewer complaints for the way it handled the historic event.

And in January last year, the ABC’s union members passed a motion of no confidence in Mr Anderson after they claimed management had not defended journalists from external attacks.

Announcing his resignation in August last year, Mr Anderson said his decision to step down was not an easy one. “I believe it is the right moment for leadership renewal for the next stage of the ABC’s continued evolution,” he wrote in an all-staff email.

Mr Anderson was replaced by Mr Marks in March.