Your views: On the state budget and ABC cuts
Today readers comment on the what’s in and out of the state budget and how the ABC has got its priorities wrong.
Commenting on: ‘Mixed bag’: SA reacts to state budget
It may have taken two budgets, but it is good to finally see Labor put some serious money and effort into fixing the ramping problem, which they so capriciously embedded into their election platform. Making promises to get elected comes with obligations to deliver, and in this case, it’s a pity the delivery plan took over 12 months to be created and funded. – Paul McKinnon
Commenting on opinion piece: Government’s hands tied with election promises and heroic assumptions
It’s not just that I’m surprised by the government’s apparent indifference to the extraordinary level of debt that it is running up, and the resulting inflation.
It’s the damage this indifference will do to coming generations. It’s the sheer selfishness of passing this generation’s credit card debt onto our children and grandchildren to pay off. It is the meanness of putting housing ownership beyond the aspiration of average wage earners, and of adding to the cost of living for those who right now are living paycheque to paycheque.
At its core, it is the travesty of politicians who will be long gone before the full consequences of their irresponsible borrowing and spending will come home to roost.
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Sure, I was probably naive to hope the recent State Budget would have included a multi-year debt reduction strategy, or at least some major spending cuts around WCH, the speculative hydrogen project, and the South Road indulgence. Perhaps even a shelving of the expensive early childhood education project?
Everyone now recognises that governments borrowed and spent far too much money during the pandemic. Now is the time for some financial prudence, if only to undo the inflationary consequences. But in my opinion, the (state) government has squibbed it. I’m old enough to remember the toll South Australia paid when the State Bank lost us $4 billion. Deep breath people. Here comes $37+ billion. – Stephen Trenowden
Commenting on: ‘Disgrace’: Backlash over ABC job, local news cuts
The ABC TV News has been the go-to station for unbiased, up-to-date news forever. Why on earth would we want to go to any other station? SBS is ok but it doesn’t have the focus on Australian political news.
The management of the ABC needs to ensure that all Australians have the opportunity to be immediately informed about issues affecting all of us. And that means retention of people like Andrew Probyn & other experts, in a readily available format. Time to consider your viewers ABC management! – Claire Luckett
As a “rusted on” ABC listener/viewer I am appalled by these latest moves from the public broadcaster. They seem to have forgotten their role to serve all Australians. A very sad result for me will be to switch channels. Goodbye ABC. – Maurice O’Brien
Stay informed, daily
I understand the view that “appointment” TV is, or soon will be, a thing of the past, but digital news has the capacity to be extremely geographic specific. People need an international, a national and a local (statewide) understanding.
Nobody lives in “national”. Everybody lives and conducts their lives in “local”. The erosion of local news happened with the loss of local papers.
Local media was the way to hold local politicians and government to some account. The more state media is eroded, the less state governments will be held to account.
That is one of the prime purposes of the balanced presentation of facts that make the ABC one of the most trusted institutions. That should continue to happen in local/state and national jurisdictions. The ABC should not contribute to news deserts in the states. – Ron Hoenig
Perhaps the most serious aspect of the ABC’s way forward is the one receiving the least attention.
The ABC has made these changes to devote more resources to, as it says, creating content (yuck!) for Tik Tok and Instagram. It has to do this, the organisation argues, to reach younger audiences. That’s true, but so is this.
Neither of these platforms is controlled by the ABC. Both are foreign owned, and in the case of Tik Tok, under the influence of an at times hostile foreign government.
Yet with little discussion of those matters, the public broadcaster is about to spend vast sums of public money ‘creating content’ to be accessed through these platforms. As I said, tough times, and no easy answers. – Simon Royal
I am horrified and disgusted at the direction the ABC is taking. Axing Andrew Probin is a disgrace & this action should be rescinded. This whole affair is deeply disappointing. – Jillian Watson
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