ABC staying silent over salaries

AUSTRALIA'S taxpayer-funded national broadcaster has refused to release details of how much it pays its radio and television personalities.

The ABC has rejected Herald Sun applications for access to details of salaries and other payments made in the 2009-10 financial year.

Two separate Freedom of Information applications lodged by the Herald Sun have been refused by the ABC on the grounds it is not in the public interest.

The ABC also claimed it would place the corporation at a competitive disadvantage because it was not paying its on-air staff the full private sector rate.

In correspondence between lawyers for the corporation and for the Herald Sun, it was argued: "The ABC has consistently argued that disclosure of the remuneration details of on-air presenters would disadvantage the ABC in the marketplace ... particularly in relation to its commercial competitors."

The Herald Sun has turned to the independent arbiter, the recently established Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, for an external review. A decision is expected within two months.

The Herald Sun argued that the ABC is publicly-financed, and as such its operations should be open to scrutiny. This year, the corporation received about $1 billion in funding.

The ABC's stance has also come under fire in Canberra, particularly in Senate estimates committee hearings.

Liberal Senator Ian Macdonald has criticised the secrecy.

The Herald Sun's application comes at a time when the ABC's news and current affairs departments are battling cost blowouts and severe budget strains.

Media analyst Peter Cox told the Herald Sun this week: "You have to question why the ABC is fighting against the release of this information."

He says there is "chaos" within the ABC news and current affairs departments.

"I don't have a problem with them having to pay commercial rates for their presenters" he said.

However, you could argue about how fat the management is at the ABC, he said.

Senator Macdonald this week hit out at the ABC's secrecy, particularly during official hearings.

He said: "I've been told by managing director Mark Scott the ABC doesn't pay them much and 'if we publish the amounts then they'll be made offers by the commercial networks that we won't be able to match. So we'll lose them'."

The Institute of Public Affairs also believes taxpayers have the right to know how their dollars are spent.

"Last time I checked, the ABC salaries weren't national security," an IPR director, Tim Wilson, said.

heraldsun.com.au 30 May 2011

This is another example of how the government is NOT accountable to anyone even the to people who provide the funds for its existence.

The government is flaunting its muscles in demonstrating to the masses that it can whatever it likes without any consequences or repercussions.

A financial statement MUST be provided, otherwise prosecution can occur under the tax evasion laws.

In a detailed analysis of financial payments to 'personalities' will reveal that a considerably more amount of money is given to brethren than they deserve or the position description allows.

The Anglo-Masonic influence is to keep the matter under wraps is too great to let the masses know of the financial details.