Below are the responses (in full ) from the Coalition, Labour and Greens parties.
Coalition response to the six questions
2025 Federal Election Questionnaire
Q1 Restore funding for a fearless independent ABC: Increase ABC funding by $140 million per year to be phased in progressively over a 3-year period commencing in 2026.
The Coalition recognises the unique role the ABC plays in Australia, especially in relation to producing high quality Australian content, in regional Australia and during national emergencies.
We support the current resourcing of the ABC, however it will be held to the same standards of ensuring they spend taxpayer funds responsibly and efficiently.
Since 1989, funding for the ABC has been provided over a three-year period, or ‘triennium’. This arrangement provides the ABC with greater funding certainty than any other Australian media organisation, and allows the ABC to plan ahead and sign longer-term contracts with certainty.
As part of the 2022-23 Budget, the previous Coalition Government committed $3.3 billion to the ABC, from 1 July 2022 to 1 July 2025, that included indexation of the ABC’s operational funding.
Q2. Keep the ABC free: Guarantee that the ABC remains free-to-access for all Australians: no ads, no subscriptions and no downgrading of services.
The Coalition is committed to the ABC remaining free-to-air and free-to-access for all Australians. The ABC will never be privatised or sold under a Coalition Government.
We support the ABC’s independence as guaranteed by statute and respect the legislative requirement that it perform its functions free from government direction, as set out in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983.
The vast majority of the ABC’s funding is provided by the Government, with only a small portion drawn in addition from other sources.
Q3. A lifeline in times of crisis: Fully fund the ABC’s emergency service through a supplementary fund dedicated to keeping Australians safe in times of crisis.
The ABC has operational independence from the government for how it uses its budget to deliver its Charter obligations.
Q4. Stability and certainty Change the indexation formula for the ABC to cover the impact of real-world inflation, including the cost of content production.
The Coalition recognises the unique role the ABC plays in Australia, especially in relation to producing high quality Australian content, in regional Australia and during national emergencies.
We support the current resourcing of the ABC, however it will be held to the same standards of ensuring they spend taxpayer funds responsibly and efficiently.
Since 1989, funding for the ABC has been provided over a three-year period, or ‘triennium’. This arrangement provides the ABC with greater funding certainty than any other Australian media organisation, and allows the ABC to plan ahead and sign longer-term contracts with certainty.
As part of the 2022-23 Budget, the previous Coalition Government committed $3.3 billion to the ABC, from 1 July 2022 to 1 July 2025, that included indexation of the ABC’s operational funding.
Q5. A public broadcaster for all Australians: Provide additional funding to ensure that high quality ABC services can be received by all Australians across the country.
The Coalition recognises the unique role the ABC plays in Australia, especially in relation to producing high quality Australian content, in regional Australia and during national emergencies.
We support the current resourcing of the ABC, however it will be held to the same standards of ensuring they spend taxpayer funds responsibly and efficiently.
Since 1989, funding for the ABC has been provided over a three-year period, or ‘triennium’. This arrangement provides the ABC with greater funding certainty than any other Australian media organisation, and allows the ABC to plan ahead and sign longer-term contracts with certainty.
As part of the 2022-23 Budget, the previous Coalition Government committed $3.3 billion to the ABC, from 1 July 2022 to 1 July 2025, that included indexation of the ABC’s operational funding.
Q6 An independent ABC: Guarantee the ABC’s independence.
The content and operational independence of the ABC is enshrined in legislation.
As set out in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983, Parliament has guaranteed this independence so that the ABC’s decisions are free of political interference. Under this arrangement, how the ABC spends the money allocated to it is a matter for the ABC Board and Executive.
Labor Party response to the six questions
2025 Federal Election Questionnaire
Q1. Do you support a restoration of ABC funding by $140 million per year to be phased in progressively over a 3-year period commencing in 2026, and will you push for this if you are elected?
The Albanese Government has already restored ABC funding by $166.8 million over five years from 2022-23 to 2027-28, followed by ongoing additional funding of $43 million per year, to reverse Scott Morrison’s cuts to the ABC.
In addition, the Albanese Government has provided the ABC with:
• stable 5-year funding terms
• additional funding of $55.6 million to extend and roll previously terminating measures (for regional newsgathering and audio description for blind and vision impaired Australians) into ongoing base funding
• additional funding of $40.5 million under the Indo-Pacific Broadcasting Strategy, to increase ABC content, transmission and training in the region.
As a result of these decisions, the ABC will receive $6.1 billion over 5 years.
The Government supports the view that funding provided to the ABC should be stable and grounded in an evidence-based assessment of future funding and investment needs.
Q2. Will your government introduce a dedicated fund to provide full funding for the ABC’s emergency service?
The ABC has operational and editorial independence and it is a matter for the ABC to manage its budget and emergency coverage decisions independently of Government.
The Government acknowledges the vital broadcasting services provided by the ABC and other media outlets during times of emergency, and notes that emergency broadcasting is not a legislated function of the ABC.
The ABC is a lifeline to Australians in times of crisis, and that’s why the Albanese Government has provided $20 million through the Broadcasting Resilience Program (BRP) to
strengthen the resilience of 98 ABC AM and FM radio broadcast sites during natural disasters such as floods and bushfires.
This work includes the provision of emergency power backup batteries, upgraded satellite access and mobile broadcast assets that can be transported to affected sites if transmission fails. These upgrades benefit more than 800,000 regional and remote Australians.
The BRP was established by the Albanese Government as part of its Better Connectivity Program, which includes funding to improve mobile coverage and increase the resilience of communications services across Australia.
Improved mobile coverage also improves access to ABC services, including the ABC Listen app.
3. Will your government oppose the privatisation of the ABC and guarantee that it will remain free-to-access for all Australians with no ads, no subscriptions and no downgrading of services?
The Albanese Labor Government is united on this issue: We will never privatise the ABC and we will oppose any attempts to privatise the ABC, or introduce ads, subscriptions or downgrading of services.
The ALP National Platform states that we will properly fund and support the ABC by keeping the ABC in public hands and maintaining the ban on ABC advertising and sponsorship.
The ABC is an important cultural institution and pillar of our democracy, providing world-class news and entertainment in accordance with its statutory Charter, for the benefit of all Australians.
Q4. Do you support additional funding to ensure that high quality ABC services can be received by all Australians across the country?
The ABC has operational and editorial independence so that its decisions are free of political and commercial interference.
It is a matter for the ABC to determine which platforms and technologies to use in order to reach Australians.
The ABC Charter requires the ABC to provide innovative and comprehensive broadcasting services of a high standard, and to provide digital media services.
The ABC provides innovative and high-quality services over broadcast radio and television, digital media, streaming and app platforms to Australians across the country, using a range of delivery technologies.
Q5. Will your government take specific legislative and other measures to protect the ABC’s independence?
The Government has committed to legislating 5-year funding terms.
On 17 December 2024, the Government released a report of a review outlining options to support the independence of the national broadcasters.
The Government has committed to delivering on this element of the review and is currently considering other findings from the review.
Q6. Will your government a change the indexation formula for the ABC to cover the impact of real-world inflation, including the cost of content production?
The ABC’s operational and transmission funding are indexed. It is a statutory duty of the ABC Board to ensure that the functions of the Corporation are performed efficiently and with the maximum benefit to the people of Australia.
The Government supports the view that funding provided to the ABC and SBS should be stable and grounded in an evidence-based assessment of future funding and investment needs.
This assessment would be expected to consider cost pressures impacting the ability of the ABC and SBS to deliver on their Charters.
Greens response to the six questions
2025 Federal Election Questionnaire
Q1 Do you support a restoration of ABC funding by $140 million per year to be phased in progressively over a 3-year period commencing in 2026, and will you push for this if you are elected?
Yes. The Greens will restore every dollar cut from the ABC’s budget since Tony Abbot’s promise of no cuts to the ABC or SBS, as well as locking in this funding with legislation to protect our national broadcasters from the decisions of the Government of the day.
Q2. Will you oppose the privatisation of the ABC and guarantee that it will remain free-to-access for all Australians: no ads, no subscriptions and no downgrading of services?
Yes. The Greens will safeguard the ABC and SBS from privatisation and rule out ABC iView and SBS on-demand from being put behind a paywall. It is essential that we have strong broadcasters that are accessible to all Australians to deliver on public interest journalism and protect our democracy – and that means providing the necessary funding.
Q3. Will you support the introduction of a dedicated fund to provide full funding for the ABC’s emergency service?
The Greens support your call for additional funding for the ABC during times of emergency and national disasters. The Greens plan to restore every dollar cut from the ABC’s budget since 2013 will revive the ABC’s budget and enable independent funding for services, including emergency services. In addition to financial support, the Greens have long championed the debate in Parliament to boost funding for the ABC during emergency situations. During emergencies; reliable and timely information is essential to protect both people and property – that is why the Greens will keep pushing the Government to boost the ABC’s funding and enable them to keep Australians safe and informed.
Q4. Do you support a change to the ABC’s indexation formula to cover the full costs of inflation and production?
The Greens will return every dollar cut from the ABC’s budget since Tony Abbott’s 2013 promise. In addition to this commitment, the Greens will legislate the funding for the ABC so that it is not subject to the whim of the government of the day.
Q5. Do you support additional funding to ensure that high quality ABC services can be received by all Australians across the country.
The Greens will legislate the ABC’s funding to adequate levels to fulfil its charter, as well as providing high quality services to all of Australia. It is important that the funding of our national broadcasters is not subject to the decisions of the government of the day, enabling the ABC to continue informing Australians, right across the country.
Q6. If elected, will you push for specific legislative and other measures to protect the ABC’s independence
Yes. In addition to the Greens commitment to restore every dollar cut from the ABC since 2013, the Greens will lock in this funding with legislation to safeguard our national broadcasters from various Government decisions. The Greens will also establish a clear non-partisan process for selecting the board of the ABC. This process will include but is not limited to, legislating the role of the Nomination panel, requiring nominees to come before the Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications and be referred to the Minster, as well as requiring the Minister to explain any rejection of a nominee recommended by the panel. This process will ensure the ABC board continually upholds a high standard of journalism and accountability. Furthermore, to ensure fair and balanced coverage and access for all Australians, the ABC should be our official host of election debates between leaders.