Labor increases ABC funding and moves to legislate five-year financing terms

Dec 17 2024
ABC News



In short:   
Federal government funding for the ABC will lift by more than $40 million a year from 2026-27.

Funding for the ABC and SBS will be decided for five years at a time, rather than three, to help prevent 'political interference' within the broadcasters.

What's next?   
Laws to cement the new five-year funding deal still need to be drafted and consulted on, making it unlikely they could be acted on before the next federal election.


Funding for the ABC and SBS will be decided for five years at a time, rather than three, under new laws federal Labor says will help prevent "political interference" within the broadcasters.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has also announced a lift in funding for the ABC worth more than $40 million a year from 2026-27.

The funding boost effectively addresses a shortfall created by a freeze on indexation, introduced and eventually lifted under the former Coalition government.

Labor is promising to legislate to ensure governments commit to five-year funding cycles with both the ABC and SBS in future, rather than the previous convention of three years.

Given the new laws need to be drafted and consulted on, it is unlikely they can be acted on before the next election.


Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has announced the federal government wants to legislate five-year funding deals for the public broadcaster.

Since 1989, both the ABC and SBS have routinely had their funding worked on in three-year terms, which roughly aligned with election cycles.

The three-year terms gave the broadcasters more funding certainty than having their funding worked out annually, and allowed new governments to set their own funding arrangements.

ABC chair calls for funding to combat misinformation

The ABC's chair Kim Williams calls for more investment in the public broadcaster as a counter to the "flood" of online misinformation and disinformation.

Ahead of the last election, Labor promised to shift to five-year funding terms, which took effect for both broadcasters from mid-2023, arguing the longer terms would provide more stability and reduce the possibility of political interference.

The government also commissioned a review of how the broadcasters were funded and how board appointments were made. It will be released on Tuesday morning.

Ms Rowland said Labor would now look to legislate to ensure five-year funding terms remained.

"The Albanese government is committed to supporting the independence of the ABC and SBS, and funding stability is an important safeguard," she said.

"The review has identified options to further support the independence of the ABC and SBS by strengthening funding and governance arrangements."

"The national broadcasters are important cultural institutions and pillars of our democracy, providing world-class news and entertainment in accordance with their statutory charters, for the benefit of all Australians."

The review raised options such as preventing governments from tinkering with funding arrangements during the five-year funding window, such as by revising them up or down.

The government has said it will consult on the final form of the new laws to settle those kinds of questions.

Funding boost to restore indexation losses
The new funding announced by the minister amounts to a one-off top-up of $83.1 million over two years from the 2026-27 financial year, and then an ongoing commitment of $43 million a year in additional funding.

The ABC had been carrying a funding shortfall created by an indexation pause introduced in 2018, where the ABC's funding would no longer increase in line with inflation.

That pause was lifted in early 2022, but the ABC gave evidence to Senate estimates at the time that a "gap" of roughly $42 million in annual funding had been left unfilled.

It was addressed in part by a funding increase in the Albanese government's October 2022 budget, with an $83.7 million lift in funding over four years.

ABC managing director David Anderson welcomed the new funding commitment and said the ABC would work with government on the new laws around funding terms.


The government wants to impose a new tax to push the tech platforms to make funding agreements with news organisations.

"The ABC welcomes the additional investment announced by the government today which will provide improved financial certainty and stability," he said.

"We look forward to working with the government on the proposal to provide enhanced legislative protection for funding stability.

"At a time when trusted news and information, quality Australian content and connecting communities is more important than ever.

Well - in time the ABC will correct its list to the left...... needs a new management structure and a new set of guidelines to reflect reality.  As it stands it is the counterweight of the silly 'left', while certain other news outlets are shock jock counterbalance for the sometimes silly 'right' ...

Good balanced reporting is hard to find these days... with every outlet bent on some political jihad without hard facts.

I used to watch ABC, SBS and NITV for the good news... must be about five years now since I saw that genuine Aboriginal elder way up on the Darling river talking about preserving it and fixing the problems created by piss poor management of waterways etc... at that time Wong was looking after the Murray/Darling etc and it's worse now than it was then.... but the government is reaping heaps in 'auctioned' payments for water that once flowed free.... and doing Pharkall* with it ..

Grappler Truth Teller Feller wrote on Dec 17^th, 2024 at 6:53am:



The ABC are not unbiased journalists -
they are all strongly left wing, woke, progressive, mouth pieces for the Labor Govt.
They are there to report the news -
not give their own biased editorial commentary on every topic.

17 Dec 2024 Mirage News.
Greens Push Labor to Secure ABC Funding in Law   

Australian Greens
The Greens have urged the Albanese Government to 'Dutton-proof' new funding for the ABC in law before the election to protect it from future Coalition cuts. The Greens are offering their support in the Senate to build a "Dutton-proof fence" when Parliament returns in February for what could be the final sitting days of this term.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is Greens spokesperson for Communications, Greens Manager of Business in Senate, Senator for South Australia:

"Peter Dutton has a fixation on cutting & attacking the ABC which is why we need to lock 5-year funding terms in law now before the election.

"The Greens are offering Labor a pathway through the Senate in February to build a Dutton-proof fence and protect the ABC from another round of Coalition cuts. Let's get it done when Parliament returns.   

"The Coalition cut hundreds of millions from the ABC & SBS when they were last in power and the Greens have long called for the full restoration of funding. Today's announcement of $83m over 2 years, while welcome, does not heal the wounds after a decade of deep Coalition cuts.

"I also want to congratulate Mr. Hugh Marks on his appointment as new Managing Director of the ABC today. The ABC is a national treasure charged with a serious responsibility to inform, entertain, reflect and educate Australia.

"We need someone who will fight to protect the independence of the ABC and stand up to Peter Dutton and the Coations attacks. I hope Mr. Marks is up to the job."