The Australian’s ferocious attacks on Laura Tingle following her off-the-cuff remarks at the Sydney Writers’ Festival have ignited a wider debate about the ABC and its impartiality, as the paper no doubt hoped.

ABC Alumni subscribers will have differing views about the wisdom of Laura’s remarks, and the robustness of the ABC’s response – as indeed do the directors of ABC Alumni. But your Board is happy to endorse these reflections in praise of Laura’s work by Alan Sunderland, who as a former Editorial Director of the ABC has more experience than any other Alumni director of making nuanced judgments on matters such as this.

Since its inception in 2018, ABC Alumni has contributed submissions to a range of government inquiries into matters concerning the ABC and public broadcasting more widely. Representatives of the Alumni have also given oral evidence at inquiry Hearings. Our commitment to providing quality information to inquiries continues to be a priority. Previous submissions and inquiry reports can be accessed here:

Gavin Fang took up his appointment as Editorial Director in January this year.  One of the ABC’s most experienced news executives, he began his ABC career in 2000 in the Perth newsroom.  After a stint as the ABC’s correspondent in Jakarta, he took on a succession of ever-more senior editorial roles in ABC News, ending as Deputy Director of News.  Along the way he had a hand in devising the More Relevant to More Australians News policy, and was ABC News Diversity lead. 

The Editorial Director and his team of editorial advisors are responsible for ensuring that ALL ABC content, screen, audio and online, complies with the ABCs Editorial Polices and Standards.

ABC Alumni board director Quentin Dempster spoke to Gavin Fang for a webinar exclusively for ABC Alumni subscribers on Tuesday 19 March.  This is not a word-for-word transcript but a summary that has been approved by Gavin for wider distribution.

In his first major speech about the ABC since the May federal election, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has indicated a new era in government-ABC relations. Delivered at a gala dinner celebrating the national broadcaster’s 90th anniversary, the PM’s wide-ranging speech outlined the ABC’s crucial role in contributing to both social cohesion and a healthy democracy. He also reinforced his government’s commitment to a better-resourced, independent ABC and promised to review options for delivering greater financial sustainability to safeguard against political interference.

ABC Alumni is an association of former staff of the ABC who support a vigorous, independent national broadcaster.

Time to resurrect an old idea?

At long last, the Government has appointed two new members for the ABC Board.

While we are still waiting for the big appointment - the successor to Ita Buttrose as ABC Chair - these new appointments are an important part of the ABC’s governance.

And, according to Alumni Board Member Alan Sunderland, the early signs are all good…

5-year funding periods are all very well, but what’s to stop a new government that gets elected half way through a funding term tearing up the agreement and starting again?

It’s an issue the Albanese government, which has introduced 5-year funding for the ABC and SBS, is well aware of.

By Quenting Dempster 3 February 2023

The news this week that high profile journalist Laura Tingle has thrown her hat in the ring for the election of the next staff-elected director (SED) on the ABC Board has surprised many colleagues, past and present. Former staff-elected director and now Alumni director Quentin Dempster looks behind the headlines with this backgrounder on the SED position and why it’s important.

In a world where support for fully government-funded, independent public broadcasters is declining, Australia is fortunate to have a new federal government that recognises the importance of the ABC. But, says former ABC Managing Director Geoffrey Whitehead, now is the time to consolidate the ABC’s role permanently by enshrining the national broadcaster, through an all-party Declaration, as an institution that’s integral to our democracy and to which all citizens have a right.

Can the ABC improve its complaints handling system? And what are the main challenges facing the new Ombudsman, Fiona Cameron, as she settles into her new job at the public broadcaster? ABC Alumni director Alan Sunderland – who has more experience than most in this area – gives his insights into what lies ahead.