The ABC Board
Let’s meet the board of management for the ABC, which according to the
ABC’s own website is supposed to “ensure that the functions of the
Corporation are performed efficiently with maximum benefit to the people
of Australia, and to maintain the independence and integrity of the
Corporation.”
Interestingly “The ABC Act requires that Directors must be experienced in
broadcasting, communications or management, or have expertise in financial
or technical matters, or have cultural or other interests relevant to the
provision of broadcasting services.” The ABC Act doesn’t seem to provide
for any balancing of interests, presumably that is decided by the
government of the day. Oh that’s right we have had Little Johnny’s crowd
running the show! Well they are bound to make sure that a broad cross
section of interests are represented on the board of Australia’s public
broadcaster.
So who is on the ABC Board?
As at 1 January 2007, ABC Board members are:
Mr Maurice Newman AC (Chairman)
Mr John Gallagher QC
Dr Ron Brunton
Ms Janet Albrechtsen
Mr Steven Skala
Mr Peter Hurley
Mr Keith Windschuttle
Mr Mark Scott
Maurice Newman is also the chair of the Australian Securities Exchange.
Reading down his credits I think its a safe bet to call him “Friend of Big
Money” #1.
John Gallagher is an expert in law (that’s apparently the QC bit).
Interestingly he has been on the board for a Queensland Television company
and a Queensland hotel chain. He probably didn’t get those appointments by
being overly sympathetic to the lower classes but a jury would probably be
hard pressed to convict him on such tenuous evidence, so I will call him
“Likely Friend of Big Money”.
Dr Ron Brunton. Here is where things get very interesting. The good doctor
was a senior fellow at the IPA
“Australia’s leading free market think tank”. I quick look at their
website pretty much shows what direction Dr Ron is likely to lean. Friend
of Big Money #2.
Ms Janet Albrechtsen is the token woman, she must be a tough nut to get
there and she has a law degree so I will assume she knows how to handle a
boys club. Janet doesn’t like Julia
Gillard but that’s to be expected from such a die-hard Howard
fan.
Mr Steven Skala - Steven is Vice Chairman, Australia and New Zealand of
Deutsche Bank AG….well where does that sit him in the political
spectrum? He is a likely “Friend of Big Money” but a quick look at his
wikipedia entry confirms his politics, “He is also a director of the
Australian Ballet and the neo-liberal/conservative think tank, the
Centre for Independent Studies.”
Mr Peter Hurley - appointed a Director for a five year term from 14 June
2006. Mr Peter Hurley is a businessman in the hotels industry. Not much
chance he is interested in the poor and underprivileged, other than how
much alcohol they can consume.
Mr Keith Windschuttle is an historian, author and publisher. He is often
accused of a trying to revise history, in particular Australian history
post 1788 and the genocide of Aborigines. As the Age puts it KEITH
Windschuttle, a leading protagonist in the history and culture wars, has
been appointed to the ABC board, further beefing up its right-wing
credentials.
So where does that leave Mark, appointed Managing Director for a five year
term from 5 July 2006? In view of his colleagues on the board he is
completely surround by right wingers of various description so he may be
amongst friends. Certainly he has some history and his actions
since assuming the top job suggest he is keen to “correct to perception of
bias” in the ABC. That could be easily construed as code for getting rid
of the trendy left, something his board would wholeheartedly agree with.
So that’s the ABC board. Experts no doubt, but representing only the
interests of money and business. Claiming a little bit of journalistic
integrity is handy but the real agenda is how to shift the slightly left
wing image of the ABC to the more comfortable right. It’s one of Little
Johnny’s greatest achievements and goes hand in hand with his attack on
unions and the fabric of Australia’s social democracy.
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