Labor won’t scrap ABC and SBC ombudsmen in favour of external body as suggested by antisemitism envoy

Jillian Segal suggested ‘transferring’ powers in updated report released a fortnight ago but government sources note media regulator already exists

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The Albanese government won’t follow a suggestion by the antisemitism envoy to scrap the ABC and SBS ombudsmen and replace them with an external oversight body.

In a list of updated priorities released last month, Segal proposed an “external independent ombudsman” to monitor ABC and SBS coverage of the war in Gaza and to ensure publicly funded broadcasters were “held accountable to their own stated standards of accuracy and impartiality”.