Senate Estimates: Acting ABC managing director David Anderson discussed taking a redundancy

Acting ABC managing director David Anderson discussed taking a redundancy from the corporation earlier this year.

ABC acting Managing Director David Anderson. Picture: AAP

Acting ABC managing director David Anderson discussed taking a redundancy from the corporation earlier this year.

Mr Anderson, who was installed as managing director in the last week of September after the board sacked Michelle Guthrie, admitted that he had discussed his future at the corporation several times.

“I have had discussion with my former managing director a number of times over the course of the year,” Mr Anderson said. “Redundancy did come up in the conversation.”

Mr Anderson told Senator Eric Abetz he was aware that he would not be able to take a redundancy unless his former position as director of entertainment and specialist was substantially changed in a restructure

Senator Abetz later released a statement questioning Mr Anderson’s fitness to continue as managing director. “This revelation tonight where it appears Mr Anderson may have sought to game the system to get a redundancy where no redundancy would have existed is highly concerning,” Senator Abetz said in a statement

“This is extremely troubling and inappropriate conduct which brings into question Mr Anderson’s judgment and fitness to continue in the substantiative Managing Director’s role. As someone with decades of employment at the ABC who was on an executive salary, a redundancy payout could have been well over a quarter of a million dollars.”

Mr Anderson told the Estimates Committee he was surprised to learn of the emails from former chairman Justin Milne, who resigned days after Ms Guthrie was sacked, to Ms Guthrie, criticising journalist Emma Alberici, whose articles were subject of government complaints. “I was aware of discussions, I was not aware of the emails,” Mr Anderson said. But that no-one from the board raised the matter with him, he said.

Mr Anderson said he had an “effective working relationship” with Ms Guthrie and was surprised the board sacked her. “It was extraordinary and yes I was surprised.”

Mr Anderson said the axing of the controversial Tonightly satirical program, which had attracted a complaint from the communications minister Mitch Fifield was made by him, with the support of Ms Guthrie.

“It was one of priority,” Mr Anderson said.

A lessening of the entertainment and specialist budget meant that “tough choices need to be made” because the program’s audience performance and annual investment meant “I couldn’t afford it within budget parameters.”

Mr Anderson did discuss with Mr Milne profanity on the program. “I did not receive any direction about that program from the former chair.” But that Mr Milne was interested in the context of the profanity and

As part of his opening address, Mr Anderson emphasised the importance of accountability and independence at the national broadcaster.

“Accountability is part and parcel of being a national broadcaster. So too is independence. I have already stressed in my early conversations with employees that the great faith and trust the community invests in the ABC is built on the foundation of independence.” Mr Anderson said.

“The ABC is funded by government and it is ultimately answerable to the people of Australia. They are the ones who expect us to report without fear or favour, to live up to standards of quality and excellence, to shun commercial and other agendas, to hold the national conversations and to reflect the nation back to itself.”

Mr Anderson said he didn’t hand over Ms Guthrie’s 11-page dossier to the board partly due to the possibility of legal action. Ms Guthrie has now taken action against the corporation over her dismissal in Fair Work.