Chapter 1 ABC and SBS complaints handling

1.1

On 11 November 2021, the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee established an inquiry into complaints handling arrangements of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the Special Broadcasting Service.1

1.2

On 17 May 2022, the ABC Board released the report of the independent review into complaint handling procedures. The review made 11 recommendations including the creation of a new position of an ABC Ombudsman to head the ABC’s complaint unit.2

1.3

As a result of the ABC Board adopting all of the review recommendations, and in particular the Board agreeing to the establishment of an ABC Ombudsman appointed by, and reporting to, the Board,3 the committee has decided not to proceed with its inquiry.

Senator Andrew Bragg

Chair

1

See: www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and Communications/ABCandSBSComplaints.
2

Professor John McMillan and Mr Jim Carroll, ABC Complaint Handling - Report of the Independent Review Report to the ABC Board, April 2022, ABC-COMPLAINT-HANDLING-–-REPORT-OF-THE-INDEPENDENT-REVIEW.pdf (accessed 31 May 2022).
3

Australia Broadcasting Corporation, Independent Review of ABC Complaints Handling Procedures, about.abc.net.au/statements/independent-review-of-abc-complaints-handling-procedures/ (accessed 31 May 2022).

| Contents |

Chapter 1

ABC and SBS complaints handling

About this inquiry