As ABC staff prepare to strike over their pay, Aunty’s friends cry poor as well

ABC activist groups have demanded the federal government increase the amount of money given to the public broadcaster, or risk its downfall.

ABC Alumni president and former Media Watch host Jonathan Holmes.

ABC activist groups have met Communications Minister Michelle Rowland to air their “grave concerns” that the public broadcaster is at risk of becoming “less effective” unless it is given more money.

ABC Alumni president Jonathan Holmes and ABC Friends’ president Cassandra Parkinson travelled to Canberra recently to discuss the federal government’s funding commitments to the ­national broadcaster.

Their meeting with Ms Rowland also canvassed an upcoming review that will look at the options available to financially support the public broadcasters – the ABC and SBS. The terms of reference for the review are still being developed.

After the meeting, Mr Holmes and Ms Parkinson sent a letter to Treasurer Jim Chalmers on March 2 that says: “We are concerned that despite the temporary and welcome repairs that you were able to make to the ABC’s sorely depleted funding in October 2022, there is grave danger that in the next five years it will continue to become poorer and, therefore, less effective.

“Of course, we understand that debt is high and the calls on the public purse are many.

“We earnestly hope that you will be able to reassure us that, at the very least, the current levels of ABC funding will be maintained in real terms over the course of the coming five-year agreement.”

The lobbying for more funding for the ABC coincides with a push by staff at the taxpayer-funded broadcaster for pay rises of 18 per cent over the next three years, and improved working conditions.  Managing director David Anderson intervened in the negotiations last month and is now overseeing talks between the public broadcaster and union representatives. Pay negotiations between management and staff have broken down, and hundreds of ABC employees plan to walk off the job on Wednesday in protest.

The letter from Mr Holmes and Ms Parkinson outlines the government’s promise to restore indexation, although it is unclear at what rate it will be as the government has yet to announce it.

This has concerned the ABC Alumni and the ABC Friends groups, given the inflation rate in the December quarter was 7.8 per cent. In the 2022-23 federal budget, the ABC was allocated $1.07bn in annual funding, and under the Labor government the public broadcaster has had its funding terms extended from three years to five. ABC staffing levels are forecast to increase from 4194 in 2021-22 to 4213 in 2022-23.

Labor has already announced the ABC would receive an extra $83.7m in operational funding (reinstatement of indexation) and $32m for international services over a four-year period.

The letter concludes: “Now more than ever, Australia needs more reliable, effective and properly funded public broadcasting.”

The ABC was contacted for comment.