In the 2025-26 Federal Budget announced overnight, Treasurer Jim Chalmers delivered a budget focused on cost of living measures, addressing the challenges many Australians are currently facing.
As part of the budget, the Portfolio Budget Statements for Australia’s public broadcasters, the ABC and SBS, were also released overnight for the upcoming financial year, with no new measures announced for either broadcaster.
Both organisations are facing strategic adjustments in response to evolving operational needs and the changing media landscape, we take a look at some of the key information below.
ABC: Funding and Operational Shifts
The ABC is set to receive total government funding of $1.2 billion in 2025-26, an increase of $33.1 million from the previous year, primarily due to government indexation adjustments. While the ABC is budgeting for an operating deficit of $1.2 million, it expects to break even by the end of the financial year, excluding the impact of leasing transactions.
Earlier this year, in February, the ABC officially opened its new Sydney bureau in Parramatta, a move aimed at improving regional engagement and operational efficiency. However, the relocation has faced criticism from both the media and the public, questioning the effectiveness of the shift and the financial resources spent on the new facilities.
Part of the funding for this transition came from leasing space in the ABC’s owned Ultimo headquarters, alongside the sale of its former property in Artarmon.
SBS: Surplus and New Initiatives
SBS, on the other hand, is projecting a small surplus of $0.5 million for 2025-26. The broadcaster’s total revenue for the year is estimated at $537.8 million, with $359.2 million coming from government funding and marks the third year of SBS’s five-year funding agreement.
In addition to its funding, SBS will receive $5.9 million in government support for a new production hub in Western Sydney, aimed at strengthening its relevance and connection to communities outside of their inner-city headquarters, similar to a move made by the ABC.
With both broadcasters pursuing moves to specialist bureaus and production hubs in Western Sydney—ABC’s funded through internal initiatives and SBS’s through additional government funding—there have been ongoing questions about the long-term impact and the value these relocations bring in terms of cost and the efficient use of public funds
Further information about the funding for both organisations can be found on the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts website HERE.
