GetUp!
GetUp!

The ABC's enemies are lining up

Image of Andrew Bolt and quote reading "ABC presenters cry for money"
Andrew Bolt, The Daily Telegraph and ultra-conservative think-tank The Institute of Public Affairs have come out swinging against the ABC. Why? Because they're riled up about our new ABC report that shows just how much people love and trust our National Broadcaster.

With a hotly contested by-election in Eden-Monaro fast approaching, it's the perfect opportunity to push a national conversation for our ABC to get more funding - especially in the lead up to the Federal Budget.

Can you help support our campaign for more ABC funding in Eden-Monaro and beyond – at a time when the whole country will be watching? Chip in now!
Here are some of the things you'd be helping fund:

  • A deep dive in Eden-Monaro. Specific polling and on-the-ground research in Eden-Monaro showing local support for increased funding and highlighting the local reasons and personal stories of why the ABC matters for their communities.

  • Advertising and Community Building. An advertising and action-taking campaign for Eden-Monaro and other strategic electorates to educate and energise communities to stand up for their ABC.

  • Sparking exciting new content. Supporting the development of new content ideas for the ABC based on what our research shows people want to see from our Auntie.


Can you help make these tactics possible by chipping in now?
Check out the report below 👇

Not loading on mobile? You can also read and download the full report here.

The Daily Telegraph recently published an attack piece claiming our report was inaccurate. It is completely false to suggest that the report contains 'major errors' and 'glaring inaccuracies' - all supposed inaccuracies were refuted in full but unfortunately not published in the article.

Here's all the reasons why their claims are wrong:

  • Statement: But the report contained major errors including claims Aunty had lost $148.8 million in funding for a contract to broadcast internationally that was axed six years ago.

  • Correction: The contract had been awarded by the previous Labor government and was cancelled by the Abbott Government. The amounts lost reflect the cancellation of that contract, which was a decision of the 2014 budget.

  • Statement: The report claimed the ABC budget was $879 million — failing to mention the $183.7 million transmission funding that takes it to its actual budget of $1062.3 million. That will increase to $1070.8 million in 2021-22.

  • Correction: Transmission funding is always assessed separately from operational funding for the national broadcasters, a practice accepted by both sides of politics. Transmission is a fixed cost that goes to Broadcast Australia, a privatised provider of transmission services for the ABC and SBS. It does not make up part of the ABC's operational funding. The report refers throughout to operational funding.

The story has deliberately omitted and misrepresented these facts, resulting in a misleading and unbalanced story. All calculations from the report are accurate, and were made by referencing the Government's own portfolio budget statements, evidence on Hansard from Senate Estimates hearings and the ABC's annual reports. All can be checked against the Government's own publicly available budget statements.

The story also undermines the author, Emma Dawson's, credibility, expertise and qualifications. Ms Dawson has a successful career in broadcasting policy, including policy and community relations for SBS, and is undertaking a PhD in public broadcasting policy at Monash University. Ms Dawson was employed in the Minister for Communications office, working as a principal adviser on public broadcasting from 2008 – 2013. She was hired due to her expertise in broadcasting policy and played no role in any political activities.