Following up on last week’s radioinfo reports about ABC funding, a former ABC Manager says the way the National Interest Initiative money has been spent was a mistake.

The former manager argues that the funds should not have been spent creating permanent positions that would require ongoing funding:

“The National Interest Initiative at the ABC was a clever scam designed to reach an impasse at this time.

“The ABC had no guarantees that funds would continue beyond 5 years and not only chose to install some 50 people in regional Australia, but confirmed the majority as full time and ongoing employees, when a contract would have been more appropriate and in keeping with the current corporate culture.

“There were other and better ways the ABC could have used the NII funds, including an improved process of external commissioning, but it chose instead to pursue a strategy where it thought it had the best chance of holding onto the money… the broadcasters are hostages.”