ABC Director of Radio, Sue Howard, has reportedly relented and allowed Radio National to replace two of six vacant positions.

Early last week, radioinfo reported staff were threatening a walkout in protest against staff freezes in five network programs.

Radio National then began an emergency review, with insufficient staff to produce programs and a budget overrun.

The Australian’s Amanda Meade reports Howard has since agreed to boost staff levels by two by borrowing against next year’s budget.

The planned walkout followed the grilling ABC Managing Director, Russell Balding, received about this issue earlier in a Senate Estimates Committee.

Budget tightening in the network is a regular ‘crisis’,according to staff critics. The producer positions in the spotlight are from the programs: ‘Life Matters’, ‘Late Night Live’,’ The Europeans’ and ‘The Deep End’.