ABC staff and supporters in Tasmania are gearing up to fight budget cuts of $84 million.
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Community and Public Sector Union regional secretary, Madeline Northam, said staff were dismayed at the cuts.
“The staff are devastated at further cuts,”Ms Northam said.
“This is hurting not just ABC staff and their families, but the biggest casualties are Australians, particularly Tasmanians who suffer.
“Since 2014, 800 staff have been retrenched across Australia and there have been endless restructures to find savings.
“Only last week, the ABC announced 20 job losses including two in Tasmania.
“We are concerned that there will be a further round of redundancies unless there is a change of government.”
Ms Northam said she was pleased ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie had taken up the fight against the cuts.
In an email sent to all ABC staff on Tuesday night Ms Guthrie said the cuts were compounded by “the decision to cease a further $43 million in funding to support quality news and current affairs services and follows the cumulative $254 million in cuts imposed since 2014.”
“Our public interest journalism, breaking news coverage and independent analysis are highly valued by the community, including across regional Australia.,” Ms Guthrie said.
“The drama, comedy and children’s content we deliver every hour are likewise important to the cultural life of the country. And services like triple j, RN and ABC Local remain crucial channels for audiences everywhere to join the national conversation.
“Unfortunately, the Government has overlooked this contribution and the trust and value more than 80% of Australians place in us as an independent national broadcaster.”
ABC Friends national and Tasmanian president Margaret Reynolds said she expected cuts to popular programs, news services and even emergency services.
“The ABC cannot do more with less funding so the blame for restricted services lies clearly with a government that does want a viable public broadcaster,” Ms Reynolds said.
“While comparable countries like Canada and New Zealand have increased their funding of public broadcasting, the Australian Government has a death wish for one of our most respected and trusted cultural icons.
“With competition from global media giants the ABC is more important than ever in projecting Australian content yet the Budget takes $84 million from the ABC and instead hands $140 million dollars to overseas film companies.”
Ms Reynolds urged Tasmanians to join the fight as ABC Defenders to show all federal MPs that their support was needed to protect the public broadcaster.
