Liberal Senator Santo Santoro has criticised ABC Managing Director Russell Balding for not attending this week’s Senate Estimates hearings.

Senate Estimates hearings present a regular opportunity for politicians to probe into many aspects of the ABC.

Santoro told the committee:

“I have 973 questions to put to Mr Balding… I want to question him on about another 60 or 70 questions I put to him in correspondence a few weeks ago, and I feel quite frustrated by the fact that he’s not here – if that’s not already clear to you.”

The ABC’s acting director of strategy and communication Murray Green says Balding has attended all other budget hearings and that there are a number of other ABC Senior Officers in attendance to answer questions.

Answering questions before the committee Green has praised ABC Radio for its localism, saying the ABC has 60 microphones open all over the country each day, serving many communities with local programming. He mentioned the ABC’s newest radio station at Port Pirie, which was opened this month.

Murray Green and Director of News John Cameron were also questioned about proposed job cuts in the Current Affairs division, which Cameron says is a way of being able to “put more money” into the reporting side of AM, PM and The World Today.

The committee has also heard that the ABC spent $219,000 defending workplace bullying claims in the past five years, and further $162,000 on advice during investigations into allegations. A review of the corporation’s Bullying Policy review is expected to cost about $80,000.