Adelaide Now - 29 September 2011
ABC STAFF have criticised its outsourcing relationship with the South Australian Film Corporation. The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, Commonwealth Public Sector Union and staff in an ABC production unit have complained the state-funded SAFC is poaching in-house productions at the expense of job security in the broadcaster.
ABC management has been under pressure from staff and outside interest groups since production redundancies were announced last month and high-profile lobbying last week forced it to reconsider the dumping of SANFL TV broadcasts.
The Senate is investigating the ABC redundancies. Several people have complained to the inquiry on the relationship between the broadcaster and the SAFC.
"The ABC/SAFC deal has resulted in a doubling of the cost to the taxpayer and the loss of content rights to the ABC," the CPSU submission states.
SAFC chief executive Richard Harris said the outsourcing of ABC productions made a significant contribution to private sector production houses, including the SAFC. "I can understand if you are on the ABC staff that (outsourcing) is a concern, but in SA we have an emerging generation of filmmakers with no certainty of employment and who need to engage with all television networks," he said.
The major complaint of SAFC poaching of ABC productions centres on the outsourced children's series Resistance, which in August was announced as being filmed in Adelaide, not Sydney as had been planned. Mr Harris said all negotiations on the project were held with private producers and the ABC did not know about the decision to relocate until it was made.
Staff at the ABC's Ripponlea, Victoria, post-production facility also have written to the Senate.
"Ms Cheryl Bart, the current chairman of the SAFC, is also on the board of the ABC," they wrote.
Mr Harris rejected claims ABC board member Ms Bart had a conflict of interest.
"Board members leave the room when they have a related interest to any discussion," he said.
