ABC Board

The ABC Board is a board of directors that is responsible for the operations of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.{{cite web|url=http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/histact/10/5029/0/HA000110.htm |title=Establishment of Australian Broadcasting Corporation Board |publisher=ScalePlus |access-date=26 November 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060530102717/http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/histact/10/5029/0/HA000110.htm |archive-date=30 May 2006 |url-status=dead }} It is made up of five to seven directors chosen by the Australian government, and a managing director who is appointed by the board itself.{{cite web|url=http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/histact/10/5029/0/HA000170.htm |title=Membership of Board |publisher=ScalePlus |access-date=5 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927220135/http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/histact/10/5029/0/HA000170.htm |archive-date=27 September 2007 |url-status=dead }}{{cite press release|title=Restructure of ABC Board |publisher=Website of Senator the Hon Helen Coonan, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts |url=http://www.minister.dcita.gov.au/media/media_releases/restructure_of_abc_board |access-date=27 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808155626/http://www.minister.dcita.gov.au/media/media_releases/restructure_of_abc_board |archive-date=8 August 2007 |url-status=dead }} At various times, ABC staff have been granted rights to elect a nominee for appointment to the board; and as of April 2013 staff elected a nominee-director.{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/abc-elects-staffer-peacock-as-director-20130422-2iai3.html|title=ABC elects staffer Peacock as director|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=22 April 2013|access-date=22 December 2014}} The duties of the board, as set out in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983, commonly called the ABC Act, (section 8) include duties "to ensure that the functions of the Corporation are performed efficiently and with the maximum benefit to the people of Australia; to maintain the independence and integrity of the Corporation; and to ensure that the gathering and presentation by the Corporation of news and information is accurate and impartial according to the recognized standards of objective journalism".

The Governor-General, on the recommendation of the Federal Government, appoints members, as specified in the ABC Act.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/corp/board/about_board.htm|title=About the board|work=ABC Online|access-date=26 November 2006|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121231044042/http://www.abc.net.au/corp/board/about_board.htm|archive-date=31 December 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|title=Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983 |publisher=Attorney-General's Department |url=http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/pasteact/0/43/top.htm |access-date=2007-10-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927215900/http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/pasteact/0/43/top.htm |archive-date=27 September 2007 |url-status=dead }} The ABC Act specifies that Directors must be experienced in broadcasting, communications or management, or have expertise in financial or technical matters, or have cultural or other interests relevant to the provision of broadcasting services.{{cite web|title=Membership of Board |url=http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/histact/10/5029/0/HA000170.htm |publisher=Scaleplus |access-date=26 November 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060530102806/http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/histact/10/5029/0/HA000170.htm |archive-date=30 May 2006 |url-status=dead }} Each director serves a term of five years, with eligibility for reappointment at the end of this term.

Directors are expected to follow the ABC Board Protocol, which stipulates responsibilities, expectations, rights, and benefits.

The board maintains an Advisory Council, which advises it on matters concerning the Corporation's programming.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/corp/nac/|title=The ABC Advisory Council|work=ABC Online|access-date=29 July 2007|archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20050423165343/http%3A//www%2Eabc%2Enet%2Eau/corp/nac/ | archive-date= April 23, 2005|url-status=live}} The Council is made up of twelve members, broadly representative of the Australian community, which serve staggered four-year terms. Vacancies are advertised in September–October each year. The Advisory Council's current Chairman is Dr Jane Munro, Head of International House at the University of Melbourne.

The Minister for Communications nominates candidates to the Governor-General for appointment to the ABC Board; based on a shortlist prepared by an independent nomination panel. {{As of|2018|04}}, members of the panel were former Treasury Secretary and Westpac Chairman, Ted Evans AC (Chairman); company director and lawyer, Dr Sally Pitkin; public relations media director and former broadcaster, Anne Fulwood; and former Australian Public Service Commissioner and departmental secretary, Helen Williams.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pmc.gov.au/news-centre/pmc/nomination-panel-abc-and-sbs-board-appointments|title=Nomination Panel for ABC and SBS Board Appointments|last=Cabinet|first=Prime Minister and|date=2017-06-23|website=www.pmc.gov.au|language=en|access-date=2018-04-14}}

Appointments to the board made by successive governments have often resulted in criticism of the appointees' political affiliation, background, and relative merit.{{cite web|title=Methods of appointment to the ABC Board: Chapter 2 - The selection criteria - who should be on the board? |work=Senate Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Committee, ABC Board inquiry report |publisher=Parliament of Australia |date=September 2001 |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/ecita_ctte/completed_inquiries/1999-02/abcboard/report/c02.htm |access-date=4 November 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060912075859/http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/ecita_ctte/completed_inquiries/1999-02/abcboard/report/c02.htm |archive-date=12 September 2006 }}{{cite news|title=Whose ABC?|url=http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2006/s1726253.htm|date=26 August 2006|work=PM|publisher=ABC Radio|access-date=13 October 2007}} From 2003 the Howard government also made several controversial appointments to the ABC Board, including Albrechtsen, a prominent critic,{{cite news|last=Caldwell|first=Alison|title=ABC critic appointed to board of directors|work=PM|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=24 February 2005|url=http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2005/s1310461.htm|format=transcript|access-date=28 November 2006}} Ron Brunton,{{cite news|last=Marriner|first=Cosima|title=Anthropologist on ABC Board|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=3 May 2003|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/05/02/1051382095367.html|access-date=28 November 2006}} and Keith Windschuttle.{{cite news|last=Colvin|first=Mark|author-link=Mark Colvin|title=Govt appoints ABC board members|work=PM|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=15 June 2006|url=http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2006/s1664194.htm|access-date=28 November 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061019202429/http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2006/s1664194.htm|archive-date=19 October 2006 |url-status=live|format=transcript}}

During their 2007 federal election campaign, Labor announced plans to introduce a new system, similar to that of the BBC, for appointing members to the board.{{cite press release|title=Australian Labor Party: ABC Board |url=http://www.alp.org.au/media/0607/mscoitloo050.php |date=5 June 2007 |publisher=Australian Labor Party |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090412045133/http://www.alp.org.au/media/0607/mscoitloo050.php |archive-date=2009-04-12 }}{{cite news|title=Conroy sets ABC collision course|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,24897,22876717-7582,00.html|date=7 December 2007|work=The Australian|author=Sainsbury, Michael|access-date=3 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071207155859/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,24897,22876717-7582,00.html|archive-date=7 December 2007|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} Under this new system, now in place, ABC candidates are considered by a panel established "at arm's length" from the Communications Minister.{{cite news|title=Independent panel to select ABC board to be named |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23232789-7582,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080219131144/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0%2C25197%2C23232789-7582%2C00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 February 2008 |date=18 February 2007 |work=The Australian }} If the Minister chose someone not on the panel's shortlist, the Minister would be required to justify their selection to Australian Parliament. The Chairman of the ABC is nominated by the Prime Minister and endorsed by the Leader of the Opposition.{{cite news|title=Free podcasts don't suit ABC's results|url=http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/markday/index.php/theaustralian/comments/free_podcasts_dont_suit_abcs_results/|date=18 September 2008|publisher=news.com.au|author=Day, Mark|access-date=2008-10-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924061048/http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/markday/index.php/theaustralian/comments/free_podcasts_dont_suit_abcs_results|archive-date=2008-09-24|url-status=dead}}

Past appointments have been associated directly with political parties—five of fourteen appointed chairmen have been accused of political affiliation or friendship, including Richard Downing and Ken Myer (both of whom publicly endorsed the Australian Labor Party at the 1972 election{{cite book|last=Inglis|first=Kenneth Stanley|author-link=Ken Inglis|title=Whose ABC? The Australian Broadcasting Corporation 1983-2006|year=2006|publisher=Black Inc.|location=Melbourne, Victoria|isbn=1-86395-189-X }}), as well as Sir Henry Bland. David Hill was close to Neville Wran, while Donald McDonald was considered to be a close friend of John Howard.{{cite web|last=Inglis |first=Ken |author-link=Ken Inglis |title=Aunty at seventy: a health report on the ABC |publisher=Friends of the ABC |date=13 November 2002 |url=http://friendsoftheabc.org/inglislecture.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071202095204/http://friendsoftheabc.org/inglislecture.pdf |archive-date=2007-12-02 }}

In the past, appointments of commissioners and directors also drew criticism. In the 1932, a majority of the commissioners were publicly conservative.{{citation needed|date=October 2007}} This continued to 1942, when the Curtin and Chifley administrations appointed a more 'politically balanced' commission.{{citation needed|date=October 2007}}

Once elected to power, Labor prime minister Whitlam replaced the entire board—appointed by Liberal governments over the previous 23 years—with supporters of the Labor Party. His successor, Malcolm Fraser, attempted unsuccessfully to take similar action by replacing the board with politically conservative commissioners in 1976, but was only able to make new appointments by adding two extra director positions onto the board.

In 1983, Minister John Button referred proposed board appointments to an all-party committee for the first time. This practice was discontinued before the end of Paul Keating's government. Alan Ramsey, in a 1996 article for The Sydney Morning Herald noted that:

{{cquote|

"12 came from overt political backgrounds, among them a former Labor premier, a former Liberal senator, a former Liberal Cabinet minister, four trade union activists, four advisers to various State Labor administrations, and Labor's former opinion pollster, Rod Cameron." In short, "less than half Labor's ABC appointments over the years have had obvious party political connections, while two of them came from among the ranks of its political opponents."}}

A 2006 restructure of the ABC board, undertaken by the Howard government, abolished the position of staff elected director. The elected director was previously nominated and elected by employees of the ABC. Nominees for this director office were to have been employed at least 24 hours a week by the ABC and the term of office was two years with eligibility for re-election to a second term. An elected director was not eligible for a third term of office. Broadcaster Ramona Koval had occupied the position for the previous four years prior to its abolition amid ongoing intense controversy.{{cite web|title=Staff-elected Director |publisher=Scaleplus |url=http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/histact/10/5029/0/HA000190.htm |access-date=26 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927220043/http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/histact/10/5029/0/HA000190.htm |archive-date=27 September 2007 |url-status=dead }} This drew criticism from the Labor Party, Australian Greens, and the Democrats, who saw it as a 'revenge measure' taken against the Corporation.{{cite web |title=Australian Broadcasting Corporation Amendment Bill 2006 |url=http://www.petergarrett.com.au/c.asp?id=181 |date=24 May 2006 |publisher=Peter Garret |access-date=6 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070831122931/http://www.petergarrett.com.au/c.asp?id=181 |archive-date=2007-08-31 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|title=Australian Labor Party, Australian Greens and Australian Democrats: Minority Reports |url=http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/ecita_ctte/broadcasting/report/d01.pdf |access-date=6 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025152530/http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/ecita_ctte/broadcasting/report/d01.pdf |archive-date=25 October 2007 |url-status=dead }}

In July 2007, Labor announced plans to make the system of appointments to the board independent of the Minister for Communications; and also reinstate the staff election of a nominee director. Initial members of the independent panel were Gonski, Smith, Allan Fels and Leneen Forde.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}

In September 2018, there was criticism raised by Labor's Shadow Communications Minister Michelle Rowland about ABC's "independence and integrity of Australia's most trusted news organisation risk having been compromised"{{cite news | title = Political pressure mounts on ABC chair Justin Milne after email to sacked Guthrie emerges | url = https://www.9news.com.au/2018/09/26/08/14/abc-michelle-guthrie-emma-alberici-justin-milne-sacking-email | publisher = 9News | date = 26 September 2018 | access-date = 27 July 2018 }} following discussions within the ABC board about an email instruction from Justin Milne to Michelle Guthrie in May 2018 to sack senior presenter Emma Alberici, on the basis that what was reported by Alberici did not agree with the government.

On 24 September 2018, Justin Milne announced to ABC staff that Managing Director Michelle Guthrie was sacked following discussions with the ABC executive and directors.{{cite news | title = ABC sacks Michelle Guthrie as Managing Director | url = https://www.9news.com.au/2018/09/24/10/01/michelle-guthrie-departs-as-abc-managing-director | publisher = 9News | date = 24 September 2018 | access-date = 27 September 2018 }} Milne then announced his resignation on 27 September.{{cite news | title = ABC crisis: Chairman Justin Milne resigns | url = https://www.9news.com.au/2018/09/27/11/50/abc-justin-milne-michelle-guthrie-emma-alberici-malcolm-turnbull-independence | publisher = 9News | date = 27 September 2018 | access-date = 27 September 2018 }} Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has directly appointed a majority of the current members of the board, some of whom were rejected by the nomination panel.{{cite news |last1=Davies |first1=Anne |title=ABC board members appointed by Fifield despite being rejected by merit-based panel |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/sep/27/abc-board-members-appointed-by-fifield-despite-being-rejected-by-merit-based-panel |access-date=27 September 2018 |work=the Guardian |date=27 September 2018 |language=en}}

• History of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Australian Broadcasting Corporation