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ABC, SBS refuse to reveal salaries.

Public broadcasters reject Mitch Fifield's directive to reveal staff salaries above $200k.

The ABC and SBS are refusing to disclose salaries of its staff who earn over $200,000.

The directive from the government was part of a deal made to win support for the Media Reforms.

ABC chairman Justin Milne wrote to Communications Minister Mitch Fifield, declining the request. But it means the government may now legislate that they must be disclosed.

“The Board does not believe that the disclosure and reporting suggested in your letter is warranted or in the best interests of the Corporation and its employees,” Milne wrote.

Whilst he acknowledged the need for transparency he referred to the independence of the ABC under
Section 8 of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act.

“The ABC is subject to a level of scrutiny well beyond that imposed on any other media organisation in Australia. As you note, the Corporation has already taken steps to provide more information about the remuneration of its executives and on-air talent. These measures are consistent with guidelines that exist for Commonwealth departments and portfolio agencies.

“The Board is proposing some additional measures that align with standards in the private sector. However, the Board does not believe that the disclosure and reporting suggested in your letter is warranted or in the best interests of the Corporation and its employees.”

With consent from individuals, from January 2018, the Board will disclose:

The Chair
The non-executive directors
The Managing Director
The Chief Financial Officer
Director TV
Director News
Director Radio
The number of other ABC employees (including journalists and on-air talent) with salaries of more than $200,000 per annum, within $25,000 bands.

The ABC indicated it would be unfair to on-air talent to be targeted because of their salary, given their profile within the Australian community.

ABC said revealing the names and salary information of persons not identified as Key Management Personnel exceeds established disclosure practice in Australia. ABC had also undertaken a gender pay equity analysis and said there was no pay gap unfavourable to women at any level in the ABC.

SBS Chairman Haas Dellal wrote to Mitch Fifield saying, “SBS is unable to comply with the proposed increased disclosure – principally because, in the absence of consent, disclosure would breach the Privacy Act 1988.

“SBS is precluded from providing the personal information requested because the Privacy Act protects employee records for identified, or reasonably identifiable, individuals. The definition of ’employee record’ within the Privacy Act includes terms and conditions of employment; and the employee’s salary or wages.”

An SBS spokesperson said: “SBS is already transparent and complies with existing requirements in its reporting of executives’ remuneration over $200K. SBS does not plan to adopt the proposed increased disclosure framework to reveal personal employee details.”

 

12 Responses

  1. I don’t see why the salaries should be made public. It is a private matter between employer and employee and should only be disclosed with both parties consent IMO.

        1. Most high level salaries for roles funded by taxpayers are available to the wider community. There is no reason for secrecy with our money. Hiding behind privacy laws is oure bs…

      1. That’s a logical fallacy – one doesn’t necessarily follow from the other. You can argue that the public has a right to know how much is spent on salaries in total but not how much Tony Jones or Karina Carvalho are paid. That information is both private and, for on-air talent and some other positions, commercially sensitive.

        Publicly listed companies are also at least partially funded by shareholders. Should they have to declare salaries of non-executive staff?

  2. I noticed Robyn Williams cheekily mentioned his salary at the end of RN’s Science show 2 weeks ago. It was under 200k btw, but his tone gave away his annoyance with the silliness of it all

      1. It is, however at times there is a perception that the ABC is full of non productive bureaucrats. Even a one off disclosure at this level will either confirm that or get rid of it.

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