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ABC report records $353,000 payout to former news director Justin Stevens

The ABC’s annual report disclosed that former news director Justin Stevens received $353,000 when he left the broadcaster in May. ABC executives were due to appear before a Senate estimates committee on Tuesday.

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What happened

Key facts

  • The ABC’s annual report disclosed a $353,000 payout to former news director Justin Stevens when he left the broadcaster in May (per The Sydney Morning Herald, news24.com.au).
  • The ABC released its annual report on Monday evening (per The Sydney Morning Herald).
  • The Sydney Morning Herald reported that ABC managing director Hugh Marks had lined up Simon Robinson as Stevens’s replacement before Stevens left (per The Sydney Morning Herald).

The brief

The ABC’s annual report disclosed a $353,000 payout to former news director Justin Stevens when he left the broadcaster in May. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the payout may include leave and other entitlements; the report does not break down the amount into separate components. The ABC released its annual report on Monday evening.

Stevens left earlier this the Sydney Morning Herald. The outlet did not state what portion of the payout, if any, related to particular entitlements. ABC executives were due to appear before a Senate estimates committee on Tuesday.

The Sydney Morning Herald said Marks and other executives were expected to face questions, including about matters involving former Four Corners reporter Mahmood Fazal. Its account said the ABC dismissed Fazal in May after he set up an unauthorised podcast.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the ABC’s independent ombudsman later found failings connected to two episodes published in 2023 and 2024 had undermined trust in the broadcaster. The outlet linked that issue to the topics executives could be asked about at the committee hearing; it did not report what executives said in response.

The annual report also listed $226,000 in pay for ABC chair Kim Williams. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that chief operating officer Melanie Kleyn received a full package of $869,771 in 2026 and was replaced by Trent Dickeson, who joined from Seven West Media.

It also said Marks received a total package of $1,199,856 in the 2026 financial year, including a base salary of $1,134,639. Separately, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that Robinson told staff the previous week that the ABC had axed The Business, a business news program that had run for 20 years.

The outlet’s account places that programming announcement alongside the annual report and the expected committee appearance, but does not connect it to Stevens’s departure or payout.

Why it matters

  • The ABC’s annual report records a $353,000 payout to former news director Justin Stevens; the Sydney Morning Herald says it could include leave and other entitlements.
  • ABC executives were due to appear before a Senate estimates committee, where the Sydney Morning Herald expected questions about matters including the Fazal affair and the ombudsman’s findings.
  • The annual report figures reported by the Sydney Morning Herald include $226,000 for ABC chair Kim Williams and a $1,199,856 total .

What to watch next

  • What ABC executives say at the Senate estimates committee appearance scheduled for Tuesday.
  • Whether committee questioning addresses the payout’s possible components, including leave and other entitlements.
  • Whether executives address the matters involving Mahmood Fazal and the ombudsman’s findings on the two episodes.

How it's being covered

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2 source articles · 2 unique outlets
Outlet political mix: Too few rated· 2 Center
Where the outlets are based: Asia 100%
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Timeline

Developments from this story's sources, dated background we compiled and fact-checked, and our earlier coverage. Each row says which.
  1. The Australian Broadcasting Commission began operating under the Australian Broadcasting Commission Act.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  2. Parliament passed the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act, changing the Commission into the Corporation.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  3. Parliament passed the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act, setting reporting and governance requirements for Commonwealth entities.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  4. Gaven Morris became ABC director of news.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  5. Justin Stevens became ABC director of news, succeeding Gaven Morris.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  6. Hugh Marks took up the position of ABC managing director.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  7. Justin Stevens left the ABC.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3

How we got here

Justin Stevens was appointed ABC director of news in 2022, succeeding Gaven Morris, who had held the role since 2015. In October 2024, the ABC announced that Hugh Marks . The ABC’s public accountability rests on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983, which established the corporation’s statutory framework and responsibilities.

Its annual reporting also sits within the Commonwealth’s public-sector accountability system: the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 sets requirements for Commonwealth entities’ reporting and governance.

Original sources

2 articles from 2 outlets · Asia · Show all

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