Abolition of staff elected member of the ABC board
Government Determined ABC Board will be its Tool by Darce Cassidy---- Media Release 24 March 2006
"We never cease to be amazed at the lengths this government is going
to, to politicise the ABC", said Judith Rodriguez, a spokesperson for
Friends of the ABC.
"All Australians who value the ABC will be
shocked at the abolition of the sole position on the ABC Board which is
guaranteed to have an interest in the ABC's healthy survival.
"Whichever
way the Government dresses it up, plans to remove the staff-elected
director from the ABC Board are another cynical step in its efforts to
control the independent broadcaster.
"The staff-elected director
provides valuable input from the people who produce the programs. A
staff position becomes even more important on occasions the government
has appointed to the board no people with public broadcasting
experience.
"Importantly, the staff-elected position on the ABC Board provides a balance against any government stacking the board.
"The
government's efforts to undermine the ABC's independence must stop.
The ABC is not meant to be a propaganda tool of government.
"The
partisan way in which governments make appointments to the Board is the
problem - not the sole position elected by the broadcaster's staff.
"What
is urgently needed, is a new assessment process for government
appointments - one that is merit-based, transparent and independent of
government," said Judith Rodriguez.
