The Claim
“Broke an election promise by cutting $40 million from the SBS and ABC.”
Original Sources Provided
✅ FACTUAL VERIFICATION
The claim is factually accurate. On the eve of the 2013 federal election (September 6, 2013), Tony Abbott explicitly promised: "No cuts to education, no cuts to health, no change to pensions, no change to the GST and no cuts to the ABC or SBS" [1]. This was captured in an SBS interview at Penrith football stadium and widely reported at the time [2].
The 2014 federal budget, delivered in May 2014, included funding cuts to both ABC and SBS. The initial cuts announced in Budget 2014 were:
- A 1% efficiency dividend on base funding for both broadcasters
- Combined savings of $43.5 million over four years (slightly higher than the $40 million claimed) [3]
- Termination of the ABC's $223 million contract to run Australia Network [4]
- Cancellation of the Australia Network contract, which had been awarded to ABC under the previous Labor government, just over a year into its ten-year term [5]
The ABC subsequently announced approximately 80 job cuts in its international operations as a direct result of the Australia Network contract termination [6][7]. These jobs were primarily in the Asia-Pacific News Centre and ABC International divisions, affecting Radio Australia's English-language team [8].
Missing Context
The claim omits several important contextual elements:
Historical Precedent: The "efficiency dividend" mechanism used for these cuts was not unique to the Coalition. Both Labor and Coalition governments have applied efficiency dividends to the ABC and other government agencies as a standard budget management tool. The 1% cut was relatively modest compared to efficiency dividends applied to other departments [9].
The Australia Network Controversy: The Australia Network contract itself had been controversial. The ABC was awarded the contract under then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard after a tender process was compromised by confidential details being leaked. The tender process was terminated and the contract was directly awarded to the ABC, bypassing competitor Sky News Australia [10].
Subsequent Larger Cuts: The initial $43.5 million over four years was significantly expanded in November 2014 when Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced total cuts of $308 million over five years following an efficiency review by Peter Lewis [11][12]. This broader cut package came after the initial budget announcement.
Comparative Context: While Abbott explicitly promised "no cuts," the use of efficiency dividends for public broadcasters has been a bipartisan practice. Successive governments of both parties have adjusted ABC funding, though rarely after such an explicit pre-election promise not to do so [13].
Source Credibility Assessment
The original sources provided are credible:
- News.com.au (Source 1): News Corp Australia publication with center-right editorial stance. Factually accurate on this story, though framing may reflect News Corp's ongoing tensions with the ABC [14].
- The Age (Source 3): Fairfax publication (now Nine), mainstream center-left newspaper with generally reliable political reporting [15].
- YouTube (Source 2): Would contain original footage of the interview; useful for verifying Abbott's actual words [16].
The SBS interview where Abbott made the promise is the most authoritative primary source, as it contains the original video evidence of the commitment [1][2].
Labor Comparison
Did Labor do something similar?
Search conducted: "Gillard Labor government ABC SBS funding cuts"
Finding: While the 2013-2016 period saw significant ABC funding discussions under Labor, including the controversial Australia Network tender process, direct comparable cuts are less clear. However:
- The Australia Network contract that the Coalition cancelled was itself initiated and awarded under Labor, in a controversial process that saw the tender terminated due to leaks and the contract directly awarded to ABC [10].
- Efficiency dividends have been applied to the ABC by governments of both parties over decades, though typically as part of broader public sector efficiency measures rather than targeted cuts [9].
- The 2012-2013 Labor budgets implemented significant cuts to other programs (single parent payments, university funding, and deferred defense spending) while protecting the ABC from explicit targeted reductions during that specific period [17].
Comparison: Labor's approach to public broadcasting funding during 2010-2013 focused more on maintaining base funding levels (while embroiled in the Australia Network controversy) rather than explicit cuts. However, Labor did not make an unequivocal "no cuts" promise comparable to Abbott's September 2013 statement.
Balanced Perspective
This claim demonstrates a clear broken election promise. Tony Abbott's statement on September 6, 2013 was unambiguous: "no cuts to the ABC or SBS." Within eight months, his government's first budget included precisely such cuts [1][3].
However, context matters:
The Government's Position: The Coalition argued that the cuts represented an "efficiency dividend" rather than programming cuts, and that the Australia Network termination was about prioritizing domestic services over international broadcasting [11]. Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull stated that the $308 million in savings "should not affect what Australians see or hear" [12].
Independent Analysis: The cuts were indeed implemented, with real consequences including 80 international job losses [6][7]. The efficiency dividend mechanism, while standard across government, was applied to a broadcaster that had received an explicit funding protection promise during the election campaign.
Political Context: The "no cuts" promise was part of a broader package of commitments (no cuts to education, health, no changes to pensions or GST) made in the final hours of a close election campaign. Several of these promises were subsequently broken or modified in the 2014 budget, suggesting the commitments were made for electoral advantage without full consideration of fiscal realities [18].
Comparison to Precedent: While both parties have adjusted ABC funding over time, Abbott's explicit "no cuts" pledge makes this case distinct from typical efficiency dividends applied without such pre-election commitments. The subsequent $308 million in cuts announced in November 2014 represented a substantial reduction in public broadcasting funding [11][12].
Key context: This was a genuine broken promise, though the mechanism (efficiency dividend) is a standard budget tool used by both parties. The scale of cuts ($43.5m initial, $308m total) represents meaningful reductions to public broadcasting capacity.
TRUE
9.0
out of 10
The claim is factually accurate. Tony Abbott explicitly promised "no cuts to the ABC or SBS" on the eve of the 2013 election. Within months, his government's first budget imposed efficiency dividend cuts totalling $43.5 million over four years, followed by larger cuts of $308 million over five years announced in November 2014. The $40 million figure cited in the claim is close to the initial $43.5 million announced in May 2014. The promise was clearly broken.
Final Score
9.0
OUT OF 10
TRUE
The claim is factually accurate. Tony Abbott explicitly promised "no cuts to the ABC or SBS" on the eve of the 2013 election. Within months, his government's first budget imposed efficiency dividend cuts totalling $43.5 million over four years, followed by larger cuts of $308 million over five years announced in November 2014. The $40 million figure cited in the claim is close to the initial $43.5 million announced in May 2014. The promise was clearly broken.
📚 SOURCES & CITATIONS (19)
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1
Budget 2014: ABC, SBS funding cut, Australia Network contract cancelled
The Federal Government will cut the funding of the ABC and SBS by 1 per cent as well as cancel the ABC's contract to run Australia Network.
Abc Net -
2
No cuts to the ABC or SBS: Abbott
Tony Abbott has spoken to SBS in the final hours of the 2013 election and promised that there will be no cuts to public broadcasters.
SBS News -
3
Federal budget 2014: ABC, SBS cut by $43.5 million
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has broken his election promise: ''No cuts to the ABC or SBS.''
The Sydney Morning Herald -
4
Abbott slashes funding to ABC and SBS
News Com
-
5
Scrapping the Australia Network affects more than the ABC
The termination in the 2014 budget of the ABC’s international television broadcasting contract to run the federal government’s Australia Network service, barely a year into its ten-year term, was hardly…
The Conversation -
6
80 jobs at ABC go after Australia Network contract axed
About 80 jobs are set to go at the ABC as a result of the Federal Government's decision to cancel the Australia Network contract.
Abc Net -
7
ABC to cut 80 'international' jobs
The ABC will axe 80 jobs and dramatically reduce its international footprint after the federal government's decision to remove funding for the Australia Network international broadcasting service.
The Sydney Morning Herald -
8
ABC Axes 80 Jobs in Forced Redundancy Programme
Ibtimes Com
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9
ABC funding cuts: Broadcaster may lose $50 million after efficiency
A Federal Government minister says budget cuts at the ABC and SBS should not mean the loss of programming or services.
Abc Net -
10
Australia Network set to be axed
Televisionau -
11
ABC and SBS funding to be cut by $308m over five years
Malcolm Turnbull says the Coalition’s budget cuts to the public broadcasters should not affect what Australians see and hear
the Guardian -
12
ABC braces for 400 job cuts amid funding row
ABC managing director Mark Scott is preparing to brief staff at the public broadcaster on 400 job cuts and other savings on Monday amid an ongoing row with the Abbott government over the timing of budget cuts.
Australian Financial Review -
13
No More ABC Cuts Welcome, However, Time to Restore Funding
“The Morrison Government announcement today that there will be no further cuts to the ABC and the indexation freeze on funding will be removed is a
The Australia Institute -
14
The ABC's budget hasn't been restored
The end of the controversial indexation freeze and retention of the news gathering program do not make up for the massive cuts already inflicted on the national broadcasters.
The Conversation -
15
Then and now: the Abbott government's broken promises
On the eve of the 2013 federal election Tony Abbott promised no cuts to education, health, or the ABC and SBS, and no changes to pensions. Fairfax Media looks at how those promises fared in the Abbott government's first budget.
The Sydney Morning Herald -
16
Mr Abbott's "No Cuts" Election Commitment
This interview was given to SBS from Penrith football stadium the night before the 2013 Australian Federal Election (6/9/13).Tony Abbott pledged there would ...
YouTube -
17
Gillard government - Wikipedia
Wikipedia -
18
ABC, SBS budgets cut
National broadcasters ABC and SBS will lose $43.5 million in funding over four years.
SBS News -
19
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Rating Scale Methodology
1-3: FALSE
Factually incorrect or malicious fabrication.
4-6: PARTIAL
Some truth but context is missing or skewed.
7-9: MOSTLY TRUE
Minor technicalities or phrasing issues.
10: ACCURATE
Perfectly verified and contextually fair.
Methodology: Ratings are determined through cross-referencing official government records, independent fact-checking organizations, and primary source documents.