News director Gaven Morris ‘can’t explain’ incorrect budget claim

ABC director of news Gaven Morris is at a loss to explain why he wrongly claimed the government was cutting $43m from newsgathering services.

ABC News director Gaven Morris addresses the Melbourne Press Club yesterday. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

The ABC’s director of news says he “can’t fully explain” why he said the federal government was cutting $43 million from the nat­ional broadcaster’s newsgathering services, a claim rejected by the Communications Minister.

Gaven Morris addressed the ongoing tensions between him and Communications Minister Mitch Fifield yesterday at the Melbourne Press Club, where he also said there was “no fat left to cut” at the ABC, despite announcing on the same day that there would be extra episodes of Four Corners this year.

On Wednesday, following the budget, Mr Morris said in a memo to staff and on Twitter that the government would discontinue $43m in funding for newsgathering services.

Let’s be clear .. ABC indexation freeze plus direct cuts to @abcnews funding amounts to over $120 million disinvestment in public broadcasting https://t.co/B7xQGbdpVt

— Gaven Morris (@gavmorris) May 8, 2018

The #Budget2018 funding cut to @abcnews currently supports regional newsgathering, bureaus in Geelong, Ipswich, Gosford and Parramatta, investigative and specialist journalism and roles in every state and territory. Essential services we’ll work hard to keep.

— Gaven Morris (@gavmorris) May 8, 2018

Senator Fifield, also on social media, said this claim was “completely false”. Mr Morris later corrected himself on Twitter.

The ABC has stated that the Government has made a decision to cease $43 million of funding for enhanced news services. This claim is completely false. No such decision has been taken.

Read more: https://t.co/8VwkE97YkA

— Mitch Fifield (@SenatorFifield) May 9, 2018

Yesterday, Mr Morris told the press club he could not explain how he had arrived at the $43m figure. “I can’t fully explain what was or wasn’t said. What I do know is our ­people were left with a very clear impression that news funding would be discontinued,” he said. “Now if that’s not the case and the government is open to a conversation about continuing that funding, we are ready to go ... I can’t fully explain the discrepancy between the accounts of what was and wasn’t said.”

Communications Minister @SenatorFifield says no decision has been made to cut $43 million in funding to @abcnews services. The funding expires next year and we'll appreciate the chance to show the value of these services to all Australians through the triennial funding process. https://t.co/CjzJYgdLQt

— Gaven Morris (@gavmorris) May 9, 2018

Happy to provide an update: the government says no decision has been taken to cut @abcnews services. While $43 million funding expires next year, the ABC is able to re-bid for further funding. https://t.co/VTsl3RCIZk

— Gaven Morris (@gavmorris) May 9, 2018

A spokesman for Senator ­Fifield said the minister could not understand how Mr Morris or his team arrived at their position, as they had yet to apply for another three years of news­gathering funding.

“We are unable to explain why the ABC were confused about normal triennium budget processes, nor why they wrongly asserted funding was not being renewed when they had not even applied for it,” he said.

“Nor can we explain why they at no stage sought clarification from the minister or his office, despite being informed about the measures ... several weeks ago.”

Mr Morris’s press club speech was attended by ABC luminaries including Barrie Cassidy, Virginia Trioli and Michael Rowland.

He said the government’s decision to freeze funding for the next three years would affect ABC jobs and services. “Make no mistake, there is no more fat to cut at the ABC. Any more cuts to the ABC cut into the muscle of the organisation,” he said.

The ABC had protested against the government freezing funding at $3.16 billion from July 1 next year for three years, effectively slashing $83.7m from its budget. “Eighty-four million dollars over three years — there is simply no way we can achieve that without looking at content creation and certainly looking at jobs,” he said.

Separate from the press club speech yesterday, Mr Morris announced an extended season and more staff for the ABC’s flagship current affairs program.

“We are adding four locally made episodes to the Four Corners’ season, meaning we will now broadcast 44 programs a year,” he said.

“(Four Corners) EP Sally Neighbour is already recruiting some digital producer roles so we can ensure this incredible reporting isn’t just shown once on a Monday night, but goes on to have an equal digital life as well.”