Why the ABC just “Dumped” Diversity | Friday Focus
Welcome to the very first Friday Focus. As many of you know, Friday is consistently my busiest day, and over the last few months, that’s meant I’ve often struggled to get any video out to you at all. Rather than leaving the channel dark, I’m launching this new segment where I’ll take a single, specific topic and handle it with surgical precision—getting straight to the point in just a few minutes.
No fluff, no filler—just the facts. Let’s get into it.
Last month, the national broadcaster—the ABC, known in Australia for its completely unbiased view of the world—quietly dropped its financial support of diversity groups. The Guardian reported: “ABC drops sponsorship of LGBTQ+, disability and diversity groups including Acon.” In an internal newsletter sighted by the publication, the ABC confirmed it is dropping its paid memberships with ACON’s Pride in Diversity program, the Australian Disability Network, and the Diversity Council of Australia.
Since the ABC is funded by all Australians, one must wonder why it ever signed up for these exclusive memberships in the first place.
ACON—originally the AIDS Council of New South Wales—has since evolved to cover the full spectrum of LGBT health issues. As you can see on their website, they greet you with a large “Acknowledgement of Country” splash screen and a massive pink “Donate” button. Honestly, I don’t know which one I want to hit first: “Close” or “Donate.”
According to The Guardian, the ABC was paying at least $12,000 a year to ACON for their “Pride in Diversity” membership. Based on the site’s own tier list, that investment made them a “Principal Partner.” This partnership enters them into something called the Workplace Equality Index Awards, which recognises excellence in LGBT inclusion.
Surprisingly, if you look at the 2025 winners—once you get past yet another rainbow-hued “Acknowledgement of Country”—guess who walked away with a prestigious Platinum award? A little-known outfit called the ABC. Other winners included AstraZeneca—famous for its “extremely safe” COVID-19 vaccine—the Brisbane City Council, and ASIO, Australia’s premier intelligence agency.
So, why the sudden change of heart? Well, according to their internal announcement, the ABC had conducted a top-down assessment and concluded the diversity groups were “no longer providing sufficient value.” A spokesperson said: “We will always invest in these fundamental principles. The ABC remains committed to diversity and inclusion and will redirect funding to internal initiatives.”
After years of paying for the privilege of being told how inclusive they are by the very groups they fund, the broadcaster seems to be realising that “Platinum” awards don’t pay the bills—and they certainly don’t buy back the trust of the taxpayers who are forced to foot the bill for the trophy.
Anyway, that’s the first Friday Focus. Hopefully, it was a little more transparent than a taxpayer-funded diversity membership.
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Allégro by Emmit Fenn