New ABC boss warns  job cuts inevitable

In his first remarks as ABC managing director, David Anderson has warned of cuts to staff and services under the Coalition.

New ABC managing director David Anderson. Picture: Hollie Adams

New ABC managing director David Anderson has warned that cuts to staff and services are ­“inevitable” under Coalition budget measures that would strip $84 million from the broadcaster over the next three years.

Mr Anderson, who was handed the job late on Friday after acting in the role for seven months, said he did not think the ABC could avoid cuts if funding ­increases were not made.

“Having been through a number of budget reductions to this point, I don’t see how we can avoid staff cuts … disruption to our content and find $84m,” Mr Anderson said. “I don’t think we can avoid that happening. I think that it is inevitable.”

Last month, Josh Frydenberg confirmed a freeze on the index­ation of the ABC’s $1 billion annual budget allocation that would mean $83.7m in expected funding increases over the next three years would not be given to the national broadcaster.

Labor has promised to restore the indexation.

Mr Anderson said that even that would not be enough.

“If the indexation (freeze) is reversed then that is obviously a much better scenario for us but we will still have to find efficiencies to bridge the gap and what it costs to be the ABC,” Mr Anderson told Radio National last night. “When I look at our ­options, they are not real options, they are not in keeping with what it is that we are trying to achieve, which is being independent, innovative and invaluable over the coming year. And we will still do that but we will do that with a reduction in our services in the coming years of $84m.”

He said he saw his role as an advocate for increased funding and had made a case to many politicians about the value the ABC brought to the country.

He said he had written to Communications Minister Mitch Fifield last year to propose a change in funding for the ABC from a three-year cycle to a five-year one “ to break us away from a three-year political cycle”.

Mr Anderson replaced Mich­elle Guthrie, who was sacked by the board in a scandal that also claimed chairman Justin Milne, over allegations of political interference from then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Scott Morrison overturned the selection process for Mr Milne’s replacement to appoint former magazine editor Ita Buttrose as his replacement.

Mr Anderson also defended the ABC against allegations of bias. “I would say that I do not believe that the ABC is biased,” he said. “I think there is no evidence to suggest that. We do have the odd error with the odd human mistake, but I don’t think that we have a systemic issue there.”