ABC Board explained

The ABC Board is the body responsible for the operations of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Kim Williams is chair; David Anderson the managing director appointed by the board; Laura Tingle is a staff-elected member. The chair and other directors are chosen by the Australian Government.

Composition, structure and responsibilities

The ABC Board is a board of directors that is responsible for the operations of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.[1] 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.[1] [2] [3] 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.[4] 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.[5] [6] 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.[7] Each director serves a term of five years, with eligibility for reappointment at the end of this term.[7]

Directors are expected to follow the ABC Board Protocol, which stipulates responsibilities, expectations, rights, and benefits.[7]

The board maintains an Advisory Council, which advises it on matters concerning the Corporation's programming.[8] 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.[8]

Process of appointment

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., 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.[9]

Appointments to the board made by successive governments have often resulted in criticism of the appointees' political affiliation, background, and relative merit.[10] [11] From 2003 the Howard government also made several controversial appointments to the ABC Board, including Albrechtsen, a prominent critic,[12] Ron Brunton,[13] and Keith Windschuttle.[14]

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.[15] [16] Under this new system, now in place, ABC candidates are considered by a panel established "at arm's length" from the Communications Minister.[17] 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.[18]

Current board members

NameFunctional roleTerm startNotes / reference
Kim WilliamsChair 7 March 2024 Term ends 6 March 2029[19]
Managing director 6 May 2019 Term ends 6 March 2024[20] [21]
Staff-elected director 1 May 2023 Term ends 30 April 2028[22]
Peter Lewis 2 October 2014 1st term ended 1 October 2019; 2nd term ends 1 October 2024[23]
23 February 2017 Term ends 22 Feb 2027[24]
Mario D’Orazio 13 May 2021 Term ends 12 May 2026[25]
Peter Tonagh 13 May 2021 Term ends 12 May 2026[26]
Louise McElvogue 16 October 2023 Term ends 15 October 2028[27]

Notable people

Chairs

No. Name Start of term End of term Notes
1 1932 1934 [28]
2 William James Cleary 1934 1945 [29]
3 1 April 1945 5 June 1961 [30]
4 1 July 1961 May 1967 [31]
5 1 July 1967 30 June 1973 [32] [33]
6 Professor Richard Downing 1 July 1973 10 November 1975
7 July 1976 December 1976
8 John D Norgard 1976 1981
9 1982 30 June 1983
10 1 July 1983 1986 [34]
11 1986 1987 [35]
12 Bob Somervaille 1987 1991
13 Mark Armstrong 1991 23 July 1996
14 24 July 1996 31 December 2006 [36] [37]
15 1 January 2007 31 March 2012
16 1 April 2012 31 March 2017 [38]
17 1 April 2017 27 September 2018 [39]
18 28 September 2018 27 February 2019 [40]
19 28 February 2019 6 March 2024
20 7 March 2024 6 March 2029

Notable directors

Name Start of term End of term Notes
24 February 2005 18 February 2010 [41] [42] [43]
24 July 1994 July 1999 [44]
3 June 2010 [45]
1 July 1983 [46]
1 May 2003 30 April 2008
[47]
12 November 2015 November 2020[48] [49]
9 December 1999 23 February 2008 [50] [51] [52]
[53]
23 February 2017 March 2021 [54]
1973 [55]
2002 2006 [56]
1998 February 2003 [57]
March 2009
9 December 1994
1 October 2014
6 October 2005
30 June 2011 2016 [58] [59]
June 2006

Managers

No. Title Name Start of term End of term Notes
1 General Manager Harold Parkyn Williams 1 August 1932[60] 4 March 1933
2 Major Walter Tasman Conder 1 April 1933[61] 25 June 1935
3 1 November 1935[62] 21 January 1965 [63]
4 26 February 1965 1 July 1982 [64]
5 13 August 1982 5 May 1983
6 Managing director 23 January 1984 31 December 1986[65] [66]
7 1 January 1987 25 February 1995 [67]
8 17 March 1995 17 March 2000
9 17 March 2000 31 December 2001
10 29 May 2002 25 March 2006
11 5 July 2006 29 April 2016
12 1 May 2016 24 September 2018 [68] [69]
13 3 May 2019 present [70]

Criticism

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[71]), 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.[72]

In the past, appointments of commissioners and directors also drew criticism. In the 1932, a majority of the commissioners were publicly conservative. This continued to 1942, when the Curtin and Chifley administrations appointed a more 'politically balanced' commission.

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.[72] His successor, Malcolm Fraser, attempted unsuccessfully to take similar action by replacing the board with politically conservative commissioners in 1976,[72] but was only able to make new appointments by adding two extra director positions onto the board.[63] [72]

In 1983, Minister John Button referred proposed board appointments to an all-party committee for the first time.[72] This practice was discontinued before the end of Paul Keating's government.[72] Alan Ramsey, in a 1996 article for The Sydney Morning Herald noted that:

A 2006 restructure of the ABC board, undertaken by the Howard government, abolished the position of staff elected director.[3] 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.[73] This drew criticism from the Labor Party, Australian Greens, and the Democrats, who saw it as a 'revenge measure' taken against the Corporation.[74] [75]

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.[4] Initial members of the independent panel were Gonski, Smith, Allan Fels and Leneen Forde.

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"[76] 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.[77] Milne then announced his resignation on 27 September.[78] 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.[79]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Establishment of Australian Broadcasting Corporation Board . ScalePlus . 26 November 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060530102717/http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/histact/10/5029/0/HA000110.htm . 30 May 2006 . dead .
  2. Web site: Membership of Board . ScalePlus . 5 October 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070927220135/http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/histact/10/5029/0/HA000170.htm . 27 September 2007 . dead .
  3. Restructure of ABC Board . Website of Senator the Hon Helen Coonan, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts . 27 November 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070808155626/http://www.minister.dcita.gov.au/media/media_releases/restructure_of_abc_board . 8 August 2007 . dead .
  4. News: ABC elects staffer Peacock as director. The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 April 2013. 22 December 2014.
  5. Web site: About the board. ABC Online. 26 November 2006. https://archive.today/20121231044042/http://www.abc.net.au/corp/board/about_board.htm. 31 December 2012. dead. dmy-all.
  6. Web site: Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983 . Attorney-General's Department . 2007-10-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070927215900/http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/pasteact/0/43/top.htm . 27 September 2007 . dead .
  7. Web site: Membership of Board . Scaleplus . 26 November 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060530102806/http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/histact/10/5029/0/HA000170.htm . 30 May 2006 . dead .
  8. Web site: The ABC Advisory Council. ABC Online. 29 July 2007. http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20050423165343/http%3A//www%2Eabc%2Enet%2Eau/corp/nac/ . April 23, 2005. live.
  9. Web site: Nomination Panel for ABC and SBS Board Appointments. Cabinet. Prime Minister and. 2017-06-23. www.pmc.gov.au. en. 2018-04-14.
  10. Web site: Methods of appointment to the ABC Board: Chapter 2 - The selection criteria - who should be on the board? . Senate Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Committee, ABC Board inquiry report . . September 2001 . 4 November 2006 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060912075859/http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/ecita_ctte/completed_inquiries/1999-02/abcboard/report/c02.htm . 12 September 2006 .
  11. News: Whose ABC?. 26 August 2006. PM. ABC Radio. 13 October 2007.
  12. News: Caldwell. Alison. ABC critic appointed to board of directors. PM. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 24 February 2005. transcript. 28 November 2006.
  13. News: Marriner. Cosima. Anthropologist on ABC Board. The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 May 2003. 28 November 2006.
  14. News: Colvin. Mark. Mark Colvin. Govt appoints ABC board members. PM. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 15 June 2006. 28 November 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20061019202429/http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2006/s1664194.htm. 19 October 2006 . live. transcript.
  15. Australian Labor Party: ABC Board . 5 June 2007 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090412045133/http://www.alp.org.au/media/0607/mscoitloo050.php . 2009-04-12 .
  16. News: Conroy sets ABC collision course. 7 December 2007. The Australian. Sainsbury, Michael. 3 October 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20071207155859/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,24897,22876717-7582,00.html. 7 December 2007. dead. dmy-all.
  17. News: Independent panel to select ABC board to be named . https://web.archive.org/web/20080219131144/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0%2C25197%2C23232789-7582%2C00.html . dead . 19 February 2008 . 18 February 2007 . .
  18. News: Free podcasts don't suit ABC's results. 18 September 2008. news.com.au. Day, Mark. 2008-10-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20080924061048/http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/markday/index.php/theaustralian/comments/free_podcasts_dont_suit_abcs_results. 2008-09-24. dead.
  19. Web site: Kim Williams AM. Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 29 March 2024.
  20. Web site: David Anderson . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 2 June 2021.
  21. Australian Broadcasting Corporation Annual Report 2021. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2021. 22 November 2021.
  22. Web site: Laura Tingle . Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 22 August 2023.
  23. Web site: Peter Lewis. Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 2 June 2021.
  24. Web site: Georgie Somerset. Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 21 March 2023.
  25. Web site: Mario D'Orazio. Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 22 November 2021.
  26. Web site: Peter Tonagh. Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 22 November 2021.
  27. https://about.abc.net.au/profile/louise-mcelvogue/
  28. Web site: Agency notes for agency CA 251. National Archives of Australia. 7 March 2007.
  29. Web site: Cleary, William James (1885 - 1973). Australian Dictionary of Biography. Thomas, Alan. 1981.
  30. Web site: Boyer, Sir Richard James Fildes (1891 - 1961). Australian Dictionary of Biography. 13. . Bolton, G. C.. 1993. 240–246.
  31. News: Obituary: Geelong's master of inspiration. The Australian. 3 November 1995. 20 December 2014. World Transformation Movement.
  32. Book: Inglis, Kenneth Stanley. Ken Inglis. This Is the ABC: The Australian Broadcasting Commission, 1932–1983. 2nd. 28 October 2012. 2006. Black Inc.. Melbourne. 978-1-86395-181-4. 70928750. 338–339.
  33. Web site: Spaull, Andrew David. 2000. Madgwick, Sir Robert Bowden (1905–1979). Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. 28 October 2012.
  34. News: Not-Sir-Kenneth Myer of the ABC. The Age. 10 June 1983. 20 December 2014. Ellingsen, Peter. 1.
  35. News: There's a chair in there. The Age. 14 December 2006. 20 December 2014. Ricketson, Matthew.
  36. Web site: Annual Report. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 1997. 7. 10 October 2006.
  37. Web site: It's his ABC. Smith, Michael. The Age. 6 April 2003. 10 October 2006.
  38. ABC farewells Chairman James Spigelman . ABC Media Centre . 16 March 2017 . 27 July 2018.
  39. News: Justin Milne B.A., F.A.I.C.D Chairman. ABC. 14 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20170624042221/http://about.abc.net.au/profile/justin-milne-f-a-m-a-i-c-d/. 2017-06-24. dead. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  40. Web site: The Guardian. 28 September 2018. Kirstin Ferguson nominated to be Acting ABC Chair. The Guardian.
  41. News: Caldwell, Alison. ABC critic appointed to board of directors. ABC News. 24 February 2005. 30 April 2007.
  42. News: Sharp, Ari. Albrechtsen to step down as director on ABC board. The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 November 2009. 7. 5 June 2010.
  43. News: Meade, Amanda. Board vacancy. The Australian. 22 February 2010. Media section, p. 31.
  44. News: ABC can be cut and be better. The Australian. 24 November 2014. 22 December 2014. Bannon, John. John Bannon.
  45. News: Mountaineer mum at Aunty's summit. The Australian. 5 June 2010. 22 December 2014. Bodey, Michael.
  46. News: 3AW man may be managing director. The Age. 10 June 1983. 20 December 2014. O'Neill, Margot. Ellingsen, Peter. 1.
  47. Aunty at seventy: A health report on the ABC. Inglis, Ken. Ken Inglis. 27 November 2002. 20 December 2014. Australian Policy Online. 21 December 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141221102708/http://apo.org.au/commentary/media-aunty-seventy-health-report-abc. dead.
  48. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-17/new-abc-board-members-appointed-by-federal-government/100144002 Former News Corp chief, Channel 7 executive among new ABC board members
  49. Web site: Dr Kirstin Ferguson . ABC . 28 July 2018 . 19 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180719204751/http://about.abc.net.au/profile/dr-kirstin-ferguson/ . dead .
  50. Web site: Board of Directors. 22 November 2001. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 28 April 2010.
  51. Web site: ABC Board of Directors. 31 October 2002. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 28 April 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20090206012427/http://www.abc.net.au/corp/annual_reports/ar02/ar02_boarddir.pdf. 6 February 2009. dead.
  52. News: ABC board promotes Gallagher. 6 October 2005. ABC News (Australia). 28 April 2010.
  53. Web site: Howcroft, Elizabeth. Beecher, Eric. Eric Beecher. Heyward, Michael. Gribble, Diana (Di) (1942–2011). Obituaries Australia. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. 22 December 2014.
  54. Web site: Dr Vanessa Guthrie . ABC . 28 July 2018 . 11 March 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190311013051/http://about.abc.net.au/profile/dr-vanessa-guthrie/ . dead .
  55. News: Obituary: Doctor, broadcaster and thinker. The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 April 2010. 27 March 2011.
  56. News: ABC board decision welcome. 25 March 2006. ABC News. Australia.
  57. News: Kroger has had enough of ABC board. Grattan, Michelle. Michelle Grattan. 8 September 2002. 20 December 2014. The Age.
  58. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-01/fiona-stanley-joins-abc-board/2779230 Fiona Stanley joins ABC board
  59. Margaret Simons Is Michelle Guthrie tuned in to the ABC? The Monthly, September 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  60. Book: Inglis, Kenneth Stanley. Ken Inglis. This Is the ABC: The Australian Broadcasting Commission, 1932–1983. 1st. 22 November 2021. 1983. Melbourne University Press. Melbourne. 0-522-84258-5. 475000407.
  61. News: BROADCASTING MANAGER. . . 24,328 . Victoria, Australia . 1 April 1933 . 22 November 2021 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  62. Third Annual Report of the Australian Broadcasting Commission. Australian Broadcasting Commission. 1935. 22 November 2021.
  63. Web site: Submission to the Senate Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts References Committee . . 11 August 2001 . 6 December 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060614210911/http://friendsoftheabc.org/boardinq.pdf . 14 June 2006 . dead .
  64. Book: Keating. Albert Moran, Chris. The A to Z of Australian radio and television. 2009. Scarecrow Press. Lanham, Md.. 978-0810870222.
  65. http://consumer.fairfaxsyndication.com/archive/Geoffrey-Whitehead,-managing-director-of-2F3XC52LMR7N.html Geoffrey Whitehead, managing director of the ABC, and his desk on his second day of work, Sydney, 24 January 1984.
  66. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131840346 Whitehead to leave ABC
  67. [Ken Inglis|Inglis, Kenneth Stanley]
  68. Web site: Michelle Guthrie ABC Managing Director . ABC . 28 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180813122154/http://about.abc.net.au/profile/michelle-guthrie/ . 13 August 2018 . dead .
  69. Duke, Jennifer & Koziol, Michael: ABC boss Michelle Guthrie sacked by board The Sydney Morning Herald, 24 September 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  70. Web site: ABC appoints David Anderson as managing director . 2019-05-03 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20230527225843/https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/abc-appoints-david-anderson-as-managing-director-20190503-p51jyf.html . 2023-05-27 . live .
  71. Book: Inglis, Kenneth Stanley. Ken Inglis. Whose ABC? The Australian Broadcasting Corporation 1983-2006. 2006. Black Inc.. Melbourne, Victoria. 1-86395-189-X .
  72. Web site: Inglis . Ken . Ken Inglis . Aunty at seventy: a health report on the ABC . . 13 November 2002 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071202095204/http://friendsoftheabc.org/inglislecture.pdf . 2007-12-02 .
  73. Web site: Staff-elected Director . Scaleplus . 26 November 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070927220043/http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/histact/10/5029/0/HA000190.htm . 27 September 2007 . dead .
  74. Web site: Australian Broadcasting Corporation Amendment Bill 2006 . 24 May 2006 . Peter Garret . 6 October 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070831122931/http://www.petergarrett.com.au/c.asp?id=181 . 2007-08-31 . dead .
  75. Web site: Australian Labor Party, Australian Greens and Australian Democrats: Minority Reports . 6 October 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071025152530/http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/ecita_ctte/broadcasting/report/d01.pdf . 25 October 2007 . dead .
  76. News: Political pressure mounts on ABC chair Justin Milne after email to sacked Guthrie emerges . 9News . 26 September 2018 . 27 July 2018 .
  77. News: ABC sacks Michelle Guthrie as Managing Director . 9News . 24 September 2018 . 27 September 2018 .
  78. News: ABC crisis: Chairman Justin Milne resigns . 9News . 27 September 2018 . 27 September 2018 .
  79. News: Davies . Anne . ABC board members appointed by Fifield despite being rejected by merit-based panel . 27 September 2018 . the Guardian . 27 September 2018 . en.

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