It was only today that ABC executives handed redundancy notices to dozens of staff across the country as we say our last farewells to the arts programming and production units in Adelaide and Perth.
Staff were informed that all of the ABC’s arts programming would be outsourced to the private sector, and as the ABC disbands its arts units, this will spell the end of weekly arts broadcasting on the ABC.
15 people were offered redundancies this morning and four television staff at ABC Adelaide were made redundant earlier today. Sources also claim that seven more redundancies were announced in Western Australia around lunchtime, hence marking the end of internal TV production in that state.
“Why is this happening?” I hear you ask.
Well, the ABC union has condemned today’s cuts to TV production and claimed that they breach the public broadcaster’s Charter which, hence, may jeopardise its ongoing funding. This now means that the corporation must negotiate with the Government for its triennial funding package next year.
Graeme Thomson, the ABC section secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union, said that ABC managing director Mark Scott had authorised more outsourcing than former managing director Jonathan Shier who was sacked by the board.
He also blamed the director of television Kim Dalton for his “ideologically-driven approach” which he claimed inevitably led to the cancellation of Art Nation.
Well, you’d hate to be pointing fingers or anything, Mr Thomson.
“Taxpayers have the right to be outraged by the dismantling of their ABC,” he stated. “This announcement raises serious questions about whether the ABC is delivering against its legislative Charter, Parliament’s justification for the ABC’s one billion dollar budget.”
