Dr Ron Brunton, who has been a controversial member of the ABC’s board is about to depart the organisation.
His term will come to an end in just 3 months, and will give the Rudd Government it’s first opportunity to make an appointment to the ABC Board, since it formed government in late November.
Dr Brunton’s appointment was criticised due to his conservative background. This criticism was to continue for several years as the former Coalition government made repeated appointments to the board from conservative ‘Cultural Warriors’, who were often some of the largest critics of the ABC.
It will be a test of the new government to see if it can avoid making a ‘political’ appointment. During the election campaign the Labor Party promised to make board appointments fairer….it will be interesting to see if that promise is fulfilled.
