With the federal budget just weeks away, the case for genuine ABC investment rests on two urgent realities: a climate emergency that is growing more dangerous and more costly, and a democracy that needs trustworthy journalism more than ever.
Jim Chalmers - Photo: ABC - Nick Haggerty
The 2026-27 federal budget, to be handed down on 12 May, is the Albanese government's first real statement of priorities since its decisive re-election. It arrives at a moment when Australians are being squeezed by cost-of-living pressures and buffeted by global uncertainty. That context makes the case for investing in the ABC more compelling than ever.
A lifeline under climate pressure
The ABC's emergency broadcasting service is no longer an occasional public service, it is essential national infrastructure. In 2017-18 the ABC managed 256 emergency broadcasts. By 2023-24 that number had risen to 659, and it continues to climb. The Climate Change Authority has estimated that back-to-back disasters cost the Australian economy $2.2 billion in the first half of 2025 alone, with costs projected to reach $8.7 billion a year by 2050. CSIRO research tells us that every dollar invested in disaster preparedness saves between $2 and $11 in recovery costs. Properly funding the ABC's emergency service is exactly this kind of investment.
Yet that service is funded out of the ABC's general operating budget — one that has lost 13.7% of its real value over the past decade.
ABC Friends is calling on the government to fully fund the ABC's emergency service through a supplementary fund dedicated to keeping Australians safe in times of crisis.
Democracy needs a trusted broadcaster
Treasurer Chalmers has described the coming year as one of profound global uncertainty. Australians navigating economic volatility, geopolitical instability and the rising tide of AI-generated misinformation need journalism they can trust. A fearless, independent ABC - answerable only to the public - is uniquely placed to provide it. But not if it is under-resourced.
The ABC is also the one free, ad-free service available to every Australian regardless of income. At a time when household budgets are stretched, that matters. Gutting it would hurt most those who can least afford alternatives.
We want to see bipartisan support for the ABC to resist any moves towards a subscription or privatisation model as suggested by some extremist, fringe parties.
We invite you to join our call. Please send an email to the new Coalition leaders asking them to commit to the ABC as they redevelop their policies.
Independence must be protected, not just promised
Investment in the ABC means nothing if its editorial independence is quietly eroded. The federal government's hate crime legislation raised legitimate concerns about its potential effect on media freedom. Laws with ambiguity can have a chilling effect on journalism, and a chilled ABC is not a free one. Stronger statutory safeguards against political interference cost the budget almost nothing. They would, however, send a clear signal that this government is serious about the ABC's independence.
What this budget must do
This budget should move beyond mere indexation. The ABC needs dedicated, ring-fenced emergency broadcasting funding, a genuine restoration in real-terms of the cuts the ABC suffered between 2013 and 2023, and stronger legislative protections for its independence.
The government wants to invest in Australia's future. The ABC is an integral part of that future.
Phil Evans
Communications
ABC Friends