ABC operations

Television ABC
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Australian arts are right at home on the ABC

No media organisation does more than the ABC to promote and provide a forum for the arts and artists in Australia.

The ABC’s ongoing commitment to the arts and culture across multiple platforms includes RN’s The Stage Show, The Art Show, The Book Show, The Music Show, The Screen Show, The Bookshelf, Lost and Found, Blueprint, Stop Everything! and Indigenous program Awaye!.

Joining them is ABC News’ weekly arts, entertainment and culture program The Mix, plus popular ABC TV titles including Anh’s Brush With Fame, Rage and the Spicks and Specks specials, as well as coverage of live events such as New Year’s Eve, triple j’s One Night Stand and major Australian music and arts festivals.

The ABC’s national music networks offer unparalleled support for Australian artists across ABC Classic, ABC Country, ABC Jazz, Double J, triple j and triple J Unearthed – which has kicked off the careers of thousands of local musicians, including Tones and I and Missy Higgins.

The ABC’s new arts content in 2020 includes documentaries Leplastrier – Framing the View, The Leunig Fragments and Getting Their Acts Together, plus upcoming films on Midnight Oil, Bangarra Dance Theatre and Australia’s “Queen of Honky Tonk”.

This year, the ABC has further increased its support for Australian artists and creatives impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In line with our Charter requirement to encourage and promote the musical, dramatic and other performing arts in Australia.

Recent examples of the ABC’s enhanced arts content include:

  • June 2020: The ABC’s decision to repurpose the ABC Comedy channelinto a broader destination for showcasing multiple genres will enable us to bring more Arts content to mainstream audiences in primetime. Press Releases - Media Centre - About the ABC
  • June 2020: RN’s Big Weekend of Books celebrated authors, readers and writing, including conversations with some of the best writers from around the world, such as Hilary Mantel, Elizabeth Gilbert and Christos Tsiolkas. The weekend-long event was produced in response to the cancellation of major literary festivals due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
    https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/features/big-weekend-of-books/
  • May 2020: With the lights out in theatres and concert halls due to COVID-19, the ABC launched a collection on iview of Australian arts content across theatre, opera, ballet and classical music. The launch of more than 30 performances represented the biggest catalogue from Australian arts companies ever offered on-demand to our viewers. We also launched the ABC Book Club on Facebook and a monthly book club on The Bookshelf, bringing together a panel of readers to discuss the books they’re reading, recommending or have always wanted to get to.
    Press Releases - Media Centre - About the ABC
  • May 2020: The ABC TOP 5 media residency scheme was expanded to artists and arts scholars for the first time. The inaugural ABC TOP 5 Arts, in partnership with the University of Melbourne and Australia Council for the Arts, supports early-career graduate PhD arts scholars and graduate arts practitioners across the visual arts, performance, design, architecture and screen.
    Press Releases - Media Centre - About the ABC
  • April 2020: The ABC launched the Fresh Start Fund to provide urgent and critical support to Australian independent producers and creatives. This included the Arts Digital Fund for innovative new arts content and Australian Music Fund to support independent artists and musicians across all ABC music networks. Press Releases - Media Centre - About the ABC
  • April 2020: The ABC boosted support for local artists and creatives impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including:
    • The ABC’s national music networks are already well above the industry’s Australian music quotas for radio (triple j plays 60% of Australian music). But we are looking to further increase the proportion of local music featured and played on-air across national and local and regional radio to assist Australian musicians.
    • triple j, Double J and triple j Unearthed announced a special edition of Ausmusic T-shirt Day, held on 17 April, to encourage listeners to buy and wear a new T-shirt from their favourite Australian artist.
    • We are working with partners across all arts platforms to co-host virtual festivals and events, from book clubs to live streaming performances.
    • ABC Music launched the #covidcoverschallenge on social media to support Australian country music, by encouraging musicians to post videos of their performances.
    • ABC Classic is keeping the music going as Australia’s Concert Hall , working with Australian musicians to bring audiences concerts and livestreams and a list of online music events .
    • ABC music networks worked with the Australian music industry on the Sound of Silence initiative, which is supporting local artists and music industry workers during the shutdown of live music performances.
      https://about.abc.net.au/press-releases/abc-provides-for-all-australians-at-work-at-home-and-online/ .

The ABC also works closely with Australian arts organisations and institutions to raise awareness about Australian artworks, performances and exhibitions. Recent examples of such partnerships include:

  • In June 2020, ABC Classic partnered with the Australian Chamber Orchestra to spend a week celebrating the Orchestra’s 30-year relationship with their Artistic Director, Richard Tognetti.
  • In May 2020, the ABC partnered with the University of Melbourne and the Australia Council for the inaugural ABC TOP 5 for artists and arts scholars.
  • In 2020, the ABC partnered with the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) on their #knowmyname campaign to advance recognition of female artists.
  • From November 2019 to February 2020, ABC Classic partnered with the NGA around their summer exhibition Matisse & Picasso .
  • In 2019, the ABC entered into a media partnership with the Copyright Agency for the Miles Franklin Award.
  • In 2017, the ABC announced a three-year creative collaboration with the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), including the Finding the Field documentary on ABC TV.
  • ABC RN has an annual media partnership with the Sydney Writers’ Festival.

Scholarship for regional Australians with disability

The Morrison Government has partnered with the ABC to showcase the incredible work of up-and-coming content makers with disability and increase employment opportunities.

Minister for Families and Social Services Anne Ruston said the Government has committed $60,000 to provide an opportunity for regional Australians with a disability to undertake a scholarship with the ABC.

“Getting a job and having a job is an absolute game-changer in anybody’s life and that shouldn’t be any different for somebody who has a disability,” Minister Ruston said.

“By supporting these content makers to distribute their work and have their voices heard it will hopefully inspire other artists with disability to follow their dreams and break down barriers to employment.

“We are proud to reveal this year’s scholarship winners as writer and podcaster Fiona Murphy from Tamworth, NSW, and actor and storyteller, Angus Thompson, from Bathurst, NSW, who starred in the ABC iview Fresh Blood series based on his life called The Angus Project.

“I want to congratulate all of the applicants who sought to be part of the program this year, which has seen the pitching of dozens of high-quality and creative ideas from the important voices of people with disability across Australia.”

ABC Regional and Local Director Judith Whelan has applauded the support for the scholarship from the Government.

“Now in its third year, this scholarship has been instrumental in furthering the careers and aspirations of very talented content makers with disability, allowing them to showcase their skills and experience through a range of avenues,” Ms Whelan said.

Fiona’s content idea centres on deaf identity and culture and seeks to collect stories about what it is like to be deaf or hard-of-hearing in Australia.

Angus will seek to produce a series of short online videos, which will take a comedic look at how he tries and struggles to use everyday items that aren’t designed for people with disability.

“These two scholarship winners will work with various ABC teams over three months, to develop their skills, produce content and gain valuable employment experience,” Ms Whelan said.

Fiona and Angus will be joined by Emma Myers, who was initially shortlisted for the 2019 scholarship and accepted it when the original recipient withdrew. She was meant to complete it in the first half of this year but due to COVID-19 is now starting at a similar time as the 2020 winners.

Applications for 2021 will open later in the year and people with disability, living in rural and regional Australia with innovative content ideas are encouraged to apply.

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Please tell me I’m in the right thread to continue the “Should taxpayers fund the ABC?” debate without going wildly off topic in the Sky News thread.

Well said. There’s a lot of content of value on the ABC (and SBS, but the discussion about them is for another thread) which commercial networks would never do. Sure, not everything will be to your personal viewing or listening tastes but the same can be said about the output of our various commercial TV and radio broadcasters.

I’d be very interested to hear what made you form this opinion about the ABC.

There have been several surveys in recent years which have asked Australians which news services they trust and the ABC has always topped these. In addition, there’s also been surveys which have asked Australians which brands they trust the most across all facets of our life - the ABC has consistently been regarded as the country’s most trusted media organisation in these as well.

If I’m not mistaken, taxpaying Australians fork out a whopping $14.60 (in a leap year like this one, $14.64) to the ABC every year.

Others may disagree but that seems like pretty good value to me. Now don’t get me wrong, there’s always room for improvement within the ABC and there are some areas (eg, sport on television and Sydney New Years Eve fireworks coverage) which probably should be left to commercial broadcasters, but on the whole I think there’s more good than bad about our national broadcaster.

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There can be no reasonable debate because without its current structure, it loses most of its unique independent value. Being a privately owned operator, it would no longer serve its means because it would become just another commercial operator. Also do not forget that the vast majority of advertising revenue would mostly come from the existing operators including SBS making them more worse off in a perpetually declining advertising market. You’d be better off just shutting the whole place down and liquidating its assets.

I cannot see any reasonable argument for moving to a private-interest operator of the ABC.

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I think you could still have a functioning independent public broadcaster that benefits from ad revenue - but the ship may have sailed for that to work, especially now with a continually depressed ad market.

The ABC should never be above criticism - at the moment thats difficult because you’re accused of being anti-ABC.

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I can’t see the commercial networks being too in favour of it either as it would be a formidable rival for ad dollars, and they’re facing enough competition and challenges as it is.

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In the current climate, it would likely only be an overseas company that could purchase the ABC.

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Oscars come calling for ABC TV’s Sally Riley

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Sally Riley, ABC TV’s Head of Drama, Comedy and Indigenous, has been invited to join the governing body of the Oscars.

The invitation to join the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Science (AMPAS) arrived unexpectedly last week.

“I had no idea,” Riley said. “The email just popped into my inbox. I’m totally surprised, but also incredibly happy and proud.”

A woman of the Wiradjuri nation, Riley has been at the forefront of the Indigenous film and television industry throughout her career. An award-winning independent filmmaker and writer, she later spent 10 years at the Australian Film Commission (now Screen Australia), where she was head of the Indigenous department.

She became the inaugural head of ABC TV’s Indigenous department in 2010 before moving to her current role in 2016, delivering ground-breaking programming including Mystery Road , Total Control , Operation Buffalo , Stateless , Mabo , Redfern Now and Cleverman .

Riley welcomed the Academy’s move to better represent the diverse global film industry.

Comprising more than 8000 members, the Academy has been actively broadening its membership base in the wake of the infamous #OscarsSoWhite in 2016.

Of this week’s 819 new members, 45 per cent are women, 36 per cent from underrepresented ethnic groups and 49 per cent from outside the US.
“I’ve been working in the area for a very long time and it’s a long-hard, tiring road,” she said. “To finally see some change is happening is gratifying.”

To be considered for membership of the Academy each nominee must have two referees. Riley remains unaware who nominated her but is thrilled to be joining the ranks of Oscars voters. “Everyone is asking me if I get to go to the Oscars. Of course I’ll be going, whether I’m invited or not!”

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When is abc comedy finishing?

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ABC recognised in LGBTIQ+ Inclusion Awards

The ABC has been awarded a Bronze badge in the 2020 Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) LGBTIQ+ Inclusion Awards.

The badge recognises that the ABC has substantially increased the visibility of people of diverse sexualities and genders – creating a more inclusive place to work and more diverse content for our audiences. Bronze status represents national and industry-wide recognition of the ABC’s progress.

The definitive national benchmark on LGBTQ workplace inclusion, the AWEI measures the impact of inclusion initiatives, driving best practice while improving workplace diversity and inclusion across Australia.

It comprises the largest and only national employee survey designed to gauge the overall impact of inclusion initiatives on organisational culture as well as identifying and non-identifying employees.

Now in its tenth year, the AWEI includes submissions from across all sectors, including government, IT and consulting firms, media organisations, higher education and engineering.

Manda Hatter, Chair of ABC Pride, said the ABC had substantially increased the visibility of people of diverse sexualities and genders, making people feel safer to be their authentic selves and allowing everyone to bring their whole selves to work.

“We have developed a strategic plan to guide the work of ABC Pride, and a number of other pieces of work – for example a language guide to support improved reporting on content that relates to sexuality and gender diversity,” she said. “Bronze status… is testament to the work of many to improve LGBTQI+ inclusion across the ABC. I know many of our staff can see and feel the difference this work makes – across our regions or cities, in whatever state or territory you live and work in.”

Rebekah Donaldson, Chief People Officer (ABC Pride Executive Sponsor) said the award showed significant progress for the ABC. “Our achievement is demonstrative of the great things that can be done when a staff-led group and People & Culture combine their will, resources and energy to make change. Now for Gold…”

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How the ABC will continue to connect and unite Australians in a new era

ABC Managing Director David Anderson will speak at the National Press Club today ( Wednesday 8 July). This is an extract of his speech: Connecting and uniting all Australians in a new era.

If there has ever been a year that proved the value of the ABC to contemporary Australia, 2020 is it.

Last summer communities across Australia faced an inferno as devastating bushfires ripped through homes, towns and seaside hamlets.

For ABC news teams and local radio operations, this meant rising to the challenge, heading out into the destruction to gather and share crucial information that would help people survive. Independent research commissioned by the ABC found that three out of five people in bushfire areas said they acted on ABC emergency broadcasts to ensure their personal safety and the safety of others.

While the nation was still nursing bushfire wounds another threat loomed.

The COVID-19 global pandemic has left Australia and the rest of the world reeling.

Again, the effects have been distressing and are ongoing. Lives have been lost, and lives are being overturned. Unemployment or loss of income and the ongoing disruption of our communities will continue to affect many Australians and their families. Once again, the ABC is by Australia’s side, giving people information they can trust and helping our democracy work by asking questions of those in authority.

The ABC’s contribution goes beyond news and current affairs. This week, for example, the ABC is running the Your Mental Health initiative to support the wellbeing of all Australians. In partnership with Lifeline and Kids Helpline, we will continue to support those thousands of Australians struggling with anxiety, depression and stress.

As the ABC goes about the business of responding to these challenges and helping audiences to do the same, we must also look to the future. How can we ensure the ABC continues to deliver value to Australians?

A few weeks ago, I released the ABC’s first ever Five-Year Plan, the pathway through the biggest transition the ABC has undertaken in years. The ABC will accelerate its transformation from a traditional broadcaster to a media organisation that is more local, more personalised, more diverse and more capable than ever before. Adopting this plan means the ABC will continue to connect and unite Australians in a new era.

The ABC is currently in 56 locations, with 48 of them in regional Australia. This plan we will see us decentralise even more and increase our presence in outer metropolitan areas as well as regional centres. By 2025 we aim to have at least 75 per cent of our content-makers working in locations beyond our Ultimo headquarters. This will provide an opportunity for us to listen to more Australian voices in more communities and to convey those stories back to Australia.

The ABC belongs to all Australians, no matter who they are, or where they are, from our cities and suburbs to regions and the bush. We will be commissioning more stories that reflect the breadth of Australian experiences and perspectives, including socio-economic and geographic differences.

The technology to deliver personalised services means we will be able to learn more about audience preferences and offer more-targeted services, including news alerts, analysis and content recommendations.

We will offer the opportunity to sign into one ABC account that works across all platforms. A core part of this project will be building ABC iview into the leading showcase for Australian content and culture.

Our ultimate aim is to build and nurture a lifelong relationship with Australians, with content and services relevant to the different stages of life. Part of this project is making sure that everyone knows what we offer and where to find us.

What won’t change at the ABC will be just as important as what will.

We will still be the nation’s most trusted source of news. We’ll continue to be fearlessly committed to public interest journalism, holding our institutions to account.

We will always tell Australian stories, helping us understand ourselves, each other and the community in which we live — across Triple J, RN, ABC Local, drama, comedy and factual content — sparking our imaginations and bringing us closer together.

We will always have the dedicated and expert content to deliver in specialist genres such as the arts, science, religion and ethics.

We will continue to be the home of Australian children’s programs, always providing a safe environment for our children to be education and entertained.

The ABC turned 88 last week, and while the way we communicate has changed, the values and purpose by which the ABC serves all Australians has remained the same.

No matter who you are, where you live, or who you vote for, we are here to serve all Australians, now and for generations to come.

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ABC Fresh Start Fund supports 200 Australian productions and new content ideas

The ABC will support more than 200 Australian productions and new content ideas through its $5 million Fresh Start Fund, to help safeguard local content and creativity against the impact of COVID-19.

Almost 60 Australian music projects are among those receiving development funding and support, plus 44 children’s content ideas and productions, 30 comedies, 15 dramas, 14 documentaries and factual projects and more than 30 specialist projects spanning areas such as podcasts, arts, science and religion and ethics.

Michael Carrington, ABC Director Entertainment & Specialist, said the ABC was committed to helping Australian creatives cope with the global pandemic. “The impact of COVID-19 on the Australian production industry is ongoing and profound, leaving many content makers struggling to stay afloat,” he said.

“As Australia’s biggest backer of homegrown content, the ABC will provide whatever help possible to support local talent in this incredibly challenging time. With so many people still impacted by social distancing and isolation, distinctive Australian stories that keep them informed and entertained are more important than ever. The ABC’s $5 million Fresh Start Fund will help supercharge more than 200 of those stories, providing lifeblood to local creatives at a time when they need it most.”

Projects in line for development support include new natural history series, true crime stories, bold new Australian documentaries and several digital short-form factual series from culturally and linguistically diverse creatives, many of whom are working with the ABC for the first time. The fund will also give ongoing development support to new entertainment series, ranging from quiz shows to comedies.

New drama, comedy and Indigenous projects receiving development support showcase the range of Australian talent across the country, from rural Victoria to the nation’s far north. Fresh Start Fund projects include adult animation series, digital short-form sketch comedies, family dramas, crime series, vertical comedy series, rom-coms and science fiction-fantasy. The topics covered by these projects roam far and wide, including Indigenous musicians, autism, race, disability, eco-terrorism, ghost hunters, chess clubs, coronavirus, the Australian wine industry, prison, pole dancing and the challenges faced by girls growing up in a dangerous world.

For listeners, the Fresh Start Fund includes support for new science and history podcasts, radio dramas and new series examining major moments and big ideas that changed Australia and the world.

ABC Classic and ABC Jazz will bring 25 new Australian works to audiences over the next year, building on the ABC’s tradition of discovering and developing new music by diverse artists. The debut works receiving support include musical responses to COVID-19, new jazz projects, a suite of dances by female composers reflecting on the 2019-20 bushfire season and emerging Indigenous composers exploring the 250 years since Captain Cook’s landing.

The Fresh Start Fund will also give triple J Unearthed “level up” grants to 16 emerging Australian artists to support their music careers, including funds to record new music, produce music videos and create sustainable merchandise.

The Fresh Start Fund received about 4000 applications from Australian producers, creatives and musicians in need of urgent support due to the shutdown of the independent production industry. Applications for funding closed on 12 June.

Spanning five streams, the Fresh Start Fund recognises the essential role played by independent producers in helping the ABC deliver Australian stories for audiences, across all platforms and services. The fund also supports emerging Australian talent and creatives to ensure the viable future of the local production industry.

The ABC continues to work closely with production companies on current projects that have been delayed or suspended due to COVID-19, to find supportive solutions where possible. The ABC is being flexible around delivery and has varied cash flows as appropriate on a title-by-title basis to help protect jobs in the independent sector.

The ABC has also acquired additional Australian content for broadcast on ABC TV and iview to keep the nation informed, educated and entertained, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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ABC International reaches audiences close to 11 million each month on television, radio and online

For 80 years Australia has been broadcasting to audiences overseas. Each month, ABC International reaches a unique overseas audience of 10,967,000, through broadcast television, radio and ABC websites and apps.

“At the end of 2019 the ABC marked 80 years of Australia’s international broadcasting. It’s wonderful to know that audiences around the world, especially our neighbours in the Indo-Pacific, continue their relationship with the ABC for independent and trusted information, education, and entertainment,” said ABC Managing Director David Anderson.

“This is an unrivalled record of achievement, telling Australian stories, reporting fairly and fearlessly, teaching generations to speak English and delivering critical information in times of crisis for 80 years.”

ABC Australia

Our international television service is available in 40+ markets in Asia and the Pacific. ABC Australia has a monthly viewership of at least 2,183,000.

ABC Radio Australia

As an international broadcaster in the Pacific, radio remains a relevant source for accessing trusted news and information, and high-quality bespoke content on the region. ABC Australia can be received via FM across the Pacific. There are 407,000 listeners of ABC Radio Australia each month in the Pacific.

ABC Websites and apps

Each month, there are 8,981,000 users of ABC websites and apps, including the ABC NEWS website and app and the new ABC Australia iview app launched in Q4 2019.

Additionally, since the COVID-19 pandemic began, we’ve seen increased users and traffic on ABC websites and apps from overseas. Year to date, there are 13,700,000 average monthly users on ABC websites and apps; 55% above the same period last year (8,800,000).

Our audiences come from across the world; each month we reach:

  • 3,803,000 audiences in the Americas and 2,038,000 audiences in Europe through ABC websites and apps,
  • 3,690,000 audiences in Asia through broadcast television and ABC websites and apps,
  • 1,165,000 audiences in the Pacific through broadcast television and radio, and ABC websites and apps.

Moreover, per capita we reach 6.9% of the population in the Pacific – a population that is spread out over 833,926 square km.

These results exclude unique audiences reached through third-party platforms including YouTube, social media platforms and syndication partners. Figures are drawn from studies in multiple Indo-Pacific countries including the Ipsos Affluent Asia Survey 2019, the Tebbutt Media Survey 2019, and from Google Analytics 2019.

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Farewell Colin Mason, the ABC’s first man in Asia

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Colin Mason, who has recently died aged 93, was the ABC’s first correspondent in Asia and pioneered ABC Radio in the region.

In 1956 he established an ABC office in Singapore at the behest of ABC Chair Sir Richard Boyer, who could see the importance for Australians of having a closer view of what was happening elsewhere in their region.

It was a time of increasing turmoil in Asia: the Malayan Emergency guerilla war was still underway, there was civil war in Indonesia, nationalist movements were asserting themselves across the region and conflict was intensifying between the North and South Vietnamese regimes.

“The initial project was to send in one man and I arrived in Singapore with a brief to follow events wherever they were happening, and report and comment on them to ABC news and the then “talks department”, and to further the interests of Radio Australia,” Mason remembered in a 2004 piece written for an exhibition on the history of ABC foreign correspondents and coverage.

“It was a very big parish, stretching from Burma east to Japan, but it was always interesting and, because of the tumult of change, always newsworthy.

“The South-East Asian exercise was always fascinating, demanding and at times slightly dangerous, but on the whole it did its job, placing South-East Asia firmly within the scope of ABC programs.

“Yet even now, almost 50 years later, many Australians lack a basic knowledge of the facts of the Asian region. That is something that must change.”

After a 14-year career with the ABC Mason moved on to politics, becoming a NSW Senator with the Australian Democrats, elected to Parliament alongside Don Chipp.

Post-politics he became a full-time writer, with his books including A Short History of Asia and The 2030 Spike: Countdown to Global Catastrophe and novels Hostage, Copperhead Creek and Northern Approaches .

All at the ABC extend our sincere condolences to Colin’s family and friends.

Vale Geoff Duncan, the ABC’s former State Director in WA

It is with sadness that I pass on the news of the death of the ABC’s former State Director in WA, Geoff Duncan.

Geoff was well-known across the corporation for his passion and advocacy of the ABC in WA. He was State Director for almost 16 years from 1998 until his retirement in 2013 and oversaw the move from the ABC’s former Adelaide Terrace studios to our current site in East Perth. Geoff’s first role in the ABC was as a radio current affairs reporter and he later headed the AM/PM’s Canberra bureau before moving into management.

Geoff was the first manager to really bring the WA branch together, championing new local television productions such as How The Quest Was Won; Pet Show and Can We Help? and taking radio into the community, forging strong connections with local government and artistic and cultural organisations and sitting on the board of the Perth International Arts Festival. He had an enthusiasm for the ABC and WA that was contagious and galvanized staff across the state.

Our thoughts are with Geoff’s family, friends and former colleagues.

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ABC announces Top 5 minds in science and the humanities

The ABC has announced the recipients of this year’s ABC Top 5 Humanities and Science media residencies, which will enable some of Australia’s brightest minds to share their knowledge and expertise with a wide audience.

The annual program trains PhD-qualified early-career researchers in the craft of communicating with the nation, with recipients working alongside some of Australia’s best broadcasters at ABC Radio National in developing content across radio and digital platforms.

The 2020 ABC Top 5 Humanities is offered in partnership with the University of Sydney. The ABC Top 5 Science is offered in collaboration with new partner the Australian National University.

The ABC Top 5 Humanities recipients are:

  • Dr Crystal Abidin, Curtin University – Digital studies (focusing on influencer cultures)
  • Dr Luara Ferracioli, University of Sydney – Political philosophy (immigration and citizenship in liberal democracies)
  • Dr Hannah McGlade, Curtin University – Law & Philosophy (Indigenous human rights)
  • Dr Michael Richardson, University of New South Wales – Culture & Media Studies (the relationship between drone technologies and how drones witness the world)
  • Dr Stephane Shepherd, Swinburne University – Forensic Behavioural Science (African, Indigenous and non-English speaking background youth at risk and youth justice).

The ABC Top 5 Science recipients are:

  • Dr Kiara Bruggeman, Australian National University – Biomedical Engineering (focusing on the use of nanotechnology to repair damaged brain tissue)
  • Dr Jared Field, University of Melbourne – Mathematics (exploring human behaviour and evolution using mathematics)
  • Dr Evita March, Federation University – Cyber-psychology (cyberbullying, internet trolling and cyberstalking)
  • Dr Ian McLeod, James Cook University – Marine Biology (protection and restoration of shellfish reef ecosystems)
  • Dr Lisa Stinson, University of Western Australia – Molecular Science (study of human breast milk microbiome and early-life microbiome development)

Joe Gelonesi, ABC Manager Religion & Ethics, said the ABC Top 5 will help Australians understand the world, particularly amid the uncertainty caused by COVID-19. “From artificial intelligence to pandemics, the challenges confronting us seem ever more complex by the day. Yet, there is careful work afoot to make sense of our predicament.

“This year’s ABC Top 5 Humanities researchers represent the nation’s best and brightest minds in making sense of the world. We’ll equip them with the skills to share more widely their important research and insights, to better inform and support all Australians in these testing times.”

Dr Jonathan Webb, ABC Science Editor, said he was similarly impressed by the breadth of important research being undertaken across the country. “Looking at the achievements and aspirations of the ABC Top 5 Science applicants was genuinely inspiring. The Australian science community is packed with talent – and these recipients show that in spades.

“Whether the challenge is medical, mathematical, environmental or technological, researchers like these hold the keys to our future.”

The ABC Top 5 Humanities and Science media residencies are scheduled to take place in Sydney in November, pending COVID-19 restrictions.

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Headed to 10 Speaks perhaps?

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Or 10 Science

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Andrew Forrest to call on ethical entrepreneurs to help “reboot Australia” in ABC Boyer Lectures

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Philanthropist and business leader Dr Andrew Forrest AO will use this year’s ABC Boyer Lectures to call on Australia’s business sector to invest in clean energy, ocean conservation and closing the inequality gap for the good of the nation.

Dr Forrest’s four-part lecture series titled “Rebooting Australia: How ethical entrepreneurs can help shape a better future” – to be broadcast on ABC Radio National from 28 November – will make the case for business to collaborate with philanthropy to drive positive change on multiple fronts.

Dr Forrest said he was honoured to be invited to deliver the 2020 ABC Boyer Lectures at such a critical juncture in Australia’s history. “For most Australians, 2020 will be the toughest year of their lives,” he said. “A nation devastated by drought and bushfires is now grappling with the fear and disruption of a pandemic and the overwhelming economic hardship that it has brought.

“It is in these darker times when encouragement, enthusiasm, determination, leadership and vision are needed more than ever. I want my Boyer Lectures to inject a healthy dose of optimism to Australians that our best times are still ahead of us. That the pursuit of big ideas and having the courage to see them through will enable us to live happier, healthier and more sustainable lives.”

ABC Chair Ita Buttrose said: “Andrew Forrest is one of Australia’s foremost business leaders and philanthropists, proving that commercial success and the common good are not mutually exclusive. At a time of such global uncertainty, his bold views will be a welcome addition to the important role that the ABC Boyer Lectures play in driving national discussion and debate.”

In the 62nd year of the ABC Boyer Lectures, Dr Forrest will explore four key areas in which business leaders, philanthropists and entrepreneurs can help reboot Australia:

  • Decarbonisation: The role that business leaders can play in driving our economy to a net zero-carbon future and making clean technologies economic and scalable.
  • Oceans: How a global network of marine protected reserves, identified, monitored and protected with new satellite-based and ocean-genomic technologies, can save our marine environment.
  • Inequality: Closing the gap between rich and poor by encouraging entrepreneurship through financial inclusion.
  • Cooperation: Shaping new global governance structures to tackle world challenges – including climate change, plastics pollution, slavery, collaboration against cancer and Australia driving cooperation between China and the United States.

The 2020 Boyer Lectures will be broadcast on ABC RN over four weeks from Saturday 28 November and available on podcast via the ABC listen app. The first lecture will also be broadcast on ABC TV.

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