FEDERAL member for Calare John Cobb has defended ABC funding cuts announced last week and says it is unlikely ABC services in Orange will be affected.
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Despite a statement by Prime Minister Tony Abbott on the eve of the last federal election that there would be no cuts to the ABC, Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull last week confirmed there would be a $254 million cut to the national broadcaster’s budget.
The cut, to be rolled out over five years, will account for 4.6 per cent of the broadcaster’s $5.2 billion funding.
“These cuts, it’s not like they are the end of the world, they require the ABC to be as efficient as they can be,” Mr Cobb said.
“Earlier this year they had an audit done to have a look at themselves and the SBS, and this reduction has been done with that in mind. I’d be very surprised if it means any cuts to regional Australia.”
Mr Cobb said his daughter used to work on the breakfast show on ABC radio in Tamworth and he was supportive of the regional services.
“I think the kids do a great job, they don’t get as involved in the politics as the metro and national ABC do,” he said.
The ABC previously indicated the cuts could result in the loss of 400 to 500 jobs and an announcement on what that could mean was due to be made today.
“I think over the next few weeks we will find out what the decision will be. I will be upset if they do cut regional services, but I would hope they don’t,” Mr Cobb said.
“[Regional ABC] does a few things differently to commercial radio, in agriculture it does quite a lot more than most other forms of regional media, but also it’s the diary for what’s happening.”
ALP state candidate for Orange Bernard Fitzsimon was outraged by the cuts and said he thought the ABC would be forced to make job cuts that could result in a more metrocentric focus.
“You can bet that most of those will be in the regional areas, we already have a job crisis. I’d like to see funding maintained at the current levels, we’ve got to have an independent media,” he said.
tanya.marschke@fairfaxmedia.com.au