Canberra, Australia — The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has called on the coalition government to make special funding related to local and suburban news permanent.

The enhanced coverage initiative is expected to end next fiscal year after A $ 14.8 million ($ 11.4 million) has been allocated to the program.

Last month’s budget It predicts the end of the index freeze, which robbed ABC of A $ 84 million.

But, Kevin Rudd Government Although discontinued in 2013, national broadcasts face a funding shortage of more than A $ 10 million ($ 7.7 million) in 2022/23.

ABC Managing Director David Anderson He claimed that the money supported about 70 jobs and ensured that the local story was raised to the national level.

“We advocate that it be expanded and surely incorporated into our base,” he told the Senate hearing in Canberra on June 7.

“It has been there for nine years, so it provides a good job, and we hope it continues. Otherwise, it’s a problem for ABC.”

The total funding for “Recreation and Culture” in the 2020-21 budget is outlined in the Expenses section of. Budget Strategy and Prospects: Budget No. 1: 2020–21.. For broadcasts, where funding for ABC and Special Broadcasting Service Corporation (SBS) is a key component, nominal funding is relatively stable for future estimates.

However, in essence, spending will decrease 0.7% from 2019–20 to 2020–21 and 3.7% from 2020–21 to 2023–24.

After the budget, the Morrison government has shown that no decisions have been made on index freezes or other future ABC financing.

According to the authorities Funding ABC It’s always controversial. This year is no exception Actual and nominal funding figures He also claimed that the Australian Broadcasting Corporation management’s series of reductions in public corporation funding since 2014 had a direct impact on the work and services within the organization.

As mentioned above, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Special Broadcasting Service funding for the 2020-21 budget forecast period will remain nominally static, effectively reducing it by approximately 3.7%. Special Broadcasting Service will receive an additional A $ 7.6 million ($ 5.8 million) over four years to provide an “extended language service,” but neither broadcaster has any new funding in any other category.

Anderson argues that embedding reporters in the suburbs was an important part of the coverage program.

He warned that discarding it would be counterproductive to local stories.

“A $ 14.8 million (A $ 11.4 million) doesn’t just disappear without some impact on employment and services,” Anderson said.

“If not, it’s a problem for ABC as a whole (continue). But I’m looking forward to it being updated and positive about continuing the good work we do.”

(Edited by Vaibhav Vishwanath Pawar and Pallavi Mehra)