EQUITY AND 2017

DIVERSITY REPORT ANNUAL Black Comedy, Photo: ABC TV

AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION EQUITY AND DIVERSITY ANNUAL REPORT 2016–17 Contents

PLANNING AND REPORTING 2 INDIGENOUS 15 PERFORMANCE MONITORING 3 NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING BACKGROUND 17 PERFORMANCE 4 DISABILITY 18 DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION HIGHLIGHTS 8 CONTENT HIGHLIGHTS 21 GENDER 13

Contents 1 Planning and reporting

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) About the Equity and is Australia’s national broadcaster and was established as a statutory corporation under Diversity Program Broadcasting Corporation Act This program has been designed to eliminate 1983 (the ABC Act). The ABC Act, which includes discrimination and promote equal opportunity the ABC Charter, sets out the functions and for women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander duties of the Corporation. people, people from a non-English speaking As a Commonwealth authority employer, background and people with disabilities. the ABC is bound by the provisions of the: The ABC is a member of a number of key national • Equal Employment Opportunity diversity organisations, including the Diversity (Commonwealth Authorities) Act 1987 Council of Australia. • Racial Discrimination Act 1975 ABC Managing Director, Michelle Guthrie, • Sex Discrimination Act 1984 is a member of the Leadership Council on • Australian Human Rights Commission Cultural Diversity which is chaired by the Act 1986 Race Discrimination Commissioner, Tim Soutphommasane. The Council is committed to • Disability Discrimination Act 1992 improving the cultural diversity of senior people • Age Discrimination Act 2004 within Australian organisations. • Fair Work Act 2009

The Equal Employment Opportunity ABC Equity and Diversity (Commonwealth Authorities) Act 1987 Plan 2016 – 18 (the EEO Act) requires the ABC to promote equal employment opportunity for designated groups: This covers the period 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2018 and is available at • Gender about.abc.net.au/reports-publications/equity- • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and-diversity-plan-2016-18. • people from a non-English speaking The ABC monitors and reports performances background (NESB) to the ABC Leadership Team each year. Some of • people with disabilities the activities undertaken are reported in the This report is made under the provisions of ABC Equity and Diversity Annual Report. section 9 (2) of the EEO Act. The reporting period covers 1 September 2016 to 31 August 2017. ABC Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2016 – 18 This covers the period 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2018 and is available at about.abc.net.au/reports-publications/abc- reconciliation-action-plan-rap-2016-18.

Results are reported to Reconciliation Australia and twice a year to the ABC Leadership Team and Board. An annual report is available on the ABC’s website.

2 AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION EQUITY AND DIVERSITY ANNUAL REPORT 2016–17 Performance monitoring

All new employees are asked to complete ABC KIDS and ABC ME an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) questionnaire related to gender, disability, In 2016, an independent analysis of external language and culture. Answers are provided productions broadcast on ABC KIDS on a voluntary basis. and ABC ME was conducted over a month. • At the end of the reporting period 78.4 % It focused on the diversity of characters, of all employees had provided EEO data.1 cast and content makers. Diversity data was collected for every production and discussions • Data was requested from applicants for all were held with writers and producers to vacant positions and work experience. increase the diversity of the content. • Monthly Indigenous employment statistics and quarterly diversity employment Regional statistics were reported to the ABC Leadership Team. The Regional team has completed a baseline survey of content. A survey brief, including a Content teams methodology, was finalised in March 2017 and endorsed by Australia’s Race Discrimination ABC Content teams collect and analyse content Commissioner, Dr Tim Soutphommasane. to measure how diverse groups are represented. Seven ABC Regional locations were selected This analysis helps them to implement measures to undertake the survey based on an analysis to address under-representation. of the 2011 Census, which had revealed a high Indigenous population or cultural diversity. ABC News The results of the survey will be used by content teams to devise and implement Data from eight days in October 2016 was measures to address under representation collected from News and Current Affairs output of relevant groups. across radio, television and online platforms with a focus on the interviewees and guests who appeared in stories, studios and panel Commercial discussions. Coverage was assessed for gender Over the past four years, ABC Commercial teams and cultural diversity, as well as for people (Music, Books, Audio and Video Entertainment from Indigenous backgrounds. and Distribution) have audited their current products based on Indigenous content and ABC Television cultural and linguistic diversity. The team surveyed first-run Australian content from all genres broadcast in 2016. The analysis focused on the lead and supporting roles in scripted content, presenters and other roles in non-scripted content. The review covered gender, cultural diversity, Indigenous, disability, sexual orientation and regional diversity.

For content broadcast in 2016 and 2017, the ABC has also been capturing off-screen crew diversity statistics across key roles. This information is currently provided on a voluntary basis by crew members.

Performance monitoring 3 Performance

GENDER

Equity and Diversity Plan 2016–18 Targets for representation of women in the workforce: 50% of senior executives 20% of technologists

The percentage of women employed at The total number of WOMEN a senior executive level SIGNIFICANTLY in senior executive roles is INCREASED from 45.8% in 2015–16 to

50.5% in 2016–17 162 Gender distribution by job group, Representation of gender by age, August 2017 August 2017

52.1% <20 2 52.5% in 2015–16 1 Total 64 47.5% 20–24 25 25–29 215 16.5% 153 16.5% in 2015–16 Technologist 352 83.5% 30–34 270 331 35–39 248 53.3% 52.6% in 2015–16 300 Content Maker 40–44 47.7% 265 299 45–49 265 70.8% 263 Administrative/ 50–54 265 Professional* 29.2% 175 55–59 261 50.5% 45.8% 84 in 2015–16 60–64 119 Senior Executive 49.5% 35 65+ 49 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 0 100 200 300 400

Female Male Female Male

* The Administrative/Professional group employed a higher proportion of women than men and this was (71.0%). The complete data is available on page 13.

4 AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION EQUITY AND DIVERSITY ANNUAL REPORT 2016–17 INDIGENOUS

ABC Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan 2016–18 Targets for representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to at least: 2.7% of the workforce by the end of December 2017 3% of the workforce by the end of December 2018

The number of INDIGENOUS Indigenous PROCUREMENT spend SENIOR EXECUTIVES has was 6.4%, more than doubled double to 1.2% in the past year the target of 3%

12% 9% 4% 2.6% 4% of ABC’s workforce is Indigenous, with the highest numbers in NSW 59% and the Northern Territory. 5% 5% 1% 1%

The complete data is available on page 15.

Performance 5 NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING BACKGROUND

Equity and Diversity Plan 2016–18 Targets for representation of employees from Non-English Speaking Backgrounds (NESB): 15% of senior executives 12% of content makers

% SENIOR EXECUTIVES from 12.8 a non-English speaking background represent

of ABC employees reported being from NON-ENGLISH 11.2 % SPEAKING backgrounds in of employees 2016–17 compared with 12.3% in 2015–16.

8% Spanish 9% 23% Arabic Italian Italian and Chinese are the two most common 12% Non-English languages German spoken at home 21% Chinese (incl Mandarin 13% and ) Greek 13% French

The complete data is available on page 17.

6 AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION EQUITY AND DIVERSITY ANNUAL REPORT 2016–17 DISABILITY

Equity and Diversity Plan 2016–18 Target for representation of people with a disability 5% of the workforce

40% OVER TARGET

At the end of August 2017,

EMPLOYEES WITH ABC199 EMPLOYEES identified as having A DISABILITY make a DISABILITY or 7% of those who % up 7% of all staff, provided EEO data. 7

exceeding the target 5% of 5%

The complete data is available on page 18.

Performance 7 Diversity and inclusion highlights

ABC employees L-R Lisa Keelan, James O’Brien, Manda Hatter, Warren Brown, Chrissie Tucker, Alison Hamill and Anita Quinn at the launch of ABC Pride. Photo Phillipa McDermott. LGBTI The ABC is a member of Pride in Diversity, Activities include: Australia’s first and only not-for-profit employer • training programs to increase support program for the LGBTI community. LGBTI awareness. The organisation works with employers • reviewing policies and plans. and employees to improve the health and • helping to improve our LGBTI wellbeing of LGBTI people and to reduce employee network. exclusion, invisibility, homophobia and stigma • external forums and networks. in the workplace. An ABC Pride committee has been created to develop initiatives and engagement across the corporation.

8 AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION EQUITY AND DIVERSITY ANNUAL REPORT 2016–17 Harmony Day awards. L-R Jeremy Fernandez, Louise Higgins, Samantha Liston, David Hua. Photo Phillipa McDermott. Harmony Day R U OK? DAY On 21 March 2017, Harmony Day was celebrated The ABC celebrated its first R U OK? Day on with forums and activities. At Ultimo, 7 September 2016 and hosted a panel discussion celebrations included a meal with a Middle focusing on mental health awareness and Eastern influence prepared and served by ABC resilience for carers. Kumi Taguchi chaired Radio ’s Simon Marnie to 150 employees. the panel with special guests, Consulting Psychologist Dr Geoff Orme, ABC presenter The event included a cultural competition, Craig Hamilton and ABC technologist John Price. prizes, diversity awards and a talk by employee, The discussion was followed by a fundraising Ameer Ali, about his migration to Australia. In dessert bake off judged by Annabel Crabb, recognition of their contribution to cultural host of the ABC’s Kitchen Cabinet. diversity at the ABC, awards were presented to Jeremy Fernandez (News) and David Hua (Audiences).

Diversity and inclusion highlights 9 “Diversity, in all its aspects, is very much a key to relevance. I have driven this issue hard in my first six months at the ABC. Not because as a daughter of Chinese Australian parents I can claim some sort of moral superiority on the issue. But it is because the ABC Board and I fervently believe that the national broadcaster can only truly reflect cultural diversity if it lives it.” An extract from the New News Conference on 28 October 2016

Managing Director speeches Over the reporting period, ABC Managing Keynote speaker, National Ethnic and Director Michelle Guthrie gave 30 speeches Multicultural Broadcasters’ Conference, highlighting issues about diversity 27 November 2016 and inclusion. Michelle Guthrie argued that for the ABC to Highlights include: be strong and remain relevant, it needs to represent the diversity of modern day Australia. Address at the Garma Festival, She also highlighted the need for the ABC to 5 July 2017 embrace diversity in content and in operations. Michelle Guthrie spoke about reconciliation, http://about.abc.net.au/speeches/a-diverse-abc- how the ABC has progressed towards it and is-a-strong-abc/ how it can be improved. She spoke about the ABC’s role and responsibility facilitating the Address to the Telstra Business conversation around reconciliation, but more Women’s Award 17 November 2016 broadly in telling Indigenous stories. Michelle Guthrie spoke about the perception http://about.abc.net.au/speeches/abc-managing- and experience of women in the workplace. director-michelle-guthrie-address-to-garma/ http://about.abc.net.au/speeches/address-to- 2016-telstra-business-womens-award/

10 AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION EQUITY AND DIVERSITY ANNUAL REPORT 2016–17 Plumpton High and Bankstown Girls Skills day with Jason Olm. Photo Jo Elms.

School Engagement program Plumpton High School 2016–2017 ABC mentors attended Year 11 and Year 12 The ABC worked closely with three schools Positive Psychology classes and shared stories in NSW with a high ratio of students from about their own career development. In August Indigenous and culturally diverse backgrounds. 2017, students experienced mock job interviews The objective was to empower students, offer to help them prepare for real life interviews. leadership and mentoring opportunities, and engage the wider school community to raise Matraville Sports High School awareness of the ABC. Journalists presented topics related to the The schools were Bankstown Girls High School, English syllabus. They also held social media Plumpton High School and Matraville Sports sessions with Physical Education students, High School. teaching them how to present themselves publicly as professional sporting people. ABC Skills Day Bankstown Girls High School The ABC partnered with the University of Technology, Sydney to create an ABC Skills Day. Journalism club students learned new Students, teachers and principals listened to techniques and skills for creating video and speakers and worked together on activities online content in a digital age. about further study and career information. Attendees were from Bankstown Girls High School and Plumpton High School.

Diversity and inclusion highlights 11 ABC Radio

Diversity target intern program 2017 % TOTAL 48CULTURALLY 52 INTERNS DIVERSE LOW SOCIO-ECONOMIC OUTER SUBURBAN AREAS REGIONAL AREAS AREAS

33% 25% 10%

Intern placements ABC Radio internship The Radio team identified diversity as a priority in order to find new talent to create engaging content. A diversity targeted internship for tertiary students studying media related 52% courses was created in NSW and the ACT. RADIO

23% NEWS

25% REGIONAL

12 AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION EQUITY AND DIVERSITY ANNUAL REPORT 2016–17 Gender

Presentation of Women in Broadcast Technology Scholarship to Elizabeth Cowling L-R Patrick Sproule Elizabeth Cowling, Margaret Cassidy. The ABC Board is made up of five women Women in Broadcast (55.6%) and four men (44.4%). In February 2017, two new female directors were appointed Technology scholarships to the ABC Board, Dr from In 2016–17, five women were awarded the ABC Western Australia and Georgina Somerset Women in Broadcast Technology Scholarship. from Queensland. The winners were given four weeks paid, on-the- Earlier in the year, Louise Higgins was appointed job training and a $1,000 educational allowance. Chief Financial Officer. Three of the award winners were given further paid work opportunities in 2017 following the training period. This program has been in place for more than 23 years and has helped to increase the number of women in technologist roles from 2.4% in 1993 to 16.5 % in 2017.

Representation of gender by occupation August 2017 August 2016 Job Female Female Male Male Total Female Female Male Male Total Occupational Group No. % No. % No. No. % No. % No.

Senior Executive 162 50.5% 159 49.5% 321 148 45.8% 175 54.2% 323 Administrative/ Professional 456 71.0% 186 29.0% 642 483 72.6% 182 27.4% 665 Content Maker 1,430 53.3% 1,252 46.7% 2,682 1,444 52.6% 1,299 47.4% 2,743 Technologist 63 16.5% 318 83.5% 381 57 15.4% 312 84.6% 369 Retail 9 60.0% 6 40.0% 15 10 66.7% 5 33.3% 15 Total 2,120 52.5% 1,921 47.5% 4,041 2,142 52.1% 1,973 47.9% 4,115

Note: Number and percentage based on Total Head Count, Non-Casual Employees, within Job Group. Data as at 31-08-17.

Gender 13 Aluel and Amena Besties. Photo ABC TV.

Name Institution Location Development programs Elizabeth Cowling Australian Australian % National Capital Program Female Male Total female University Territory Janhvi Raj RMIT Victoria Leadership Principles Nengjia (Kim) Qiu TasTAFE Hobart Tasmania Development Gurcharanjit Kaur TAFE NSW, New South Program 84 95 179 47% Granville Wales Strategic College Media Laura Buttle Monash Victoria Leadership University Series 7 7 14 50% Foundations of Leadership (3 Programs) 35 27 62 56%

14 AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION EQUITY AND DIVERSITY ANNUAL REPORT 2016–17 Indigenous

Indigenous employee scholarship winners. L-R Natalie Williams and Yale Macgallivray. Photo by Tahnee Jash. The ABC has an Indigenous Advisory Group Indigenous scholarships known as the Bonner Committee. It develops, implements and reports on Reconciliation An Indigenous Staff Conference is held every Action Plans and employment is a priority area. two years. During this conference the ABC presents career development awards valued New Indigenous at up to $10,000 each under its Indigenous Employee Scholarship Program. This provides content teams opportunities for Indigenous employees to build In 2016–17, Indigenous content increased their skills and experience. significantly across all platforms as two 3% of non-technical contracts must come from new content teams were created. Grant Indigenous suppliers by 2020, according to became Editor, National Indigenous Affairs Commonwealth targets. This excludes major coverage and Lorena Allam became Manager, technical and broadcast contracts. Indigenous Radio. During this reporting period, the ABC worked Content teams all have senior editorial with an Indigenous construction management managers responsible for overseeing service on a contract involving significant works. Indigenous programming and these teams As a result, Indigenous procurement spend was continue to deliver a range of high quality 6.4%, more than double the target of 3%. programming by, for and about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander .

Indigenous 15 Tahnee Jash celebrating Reconciliation Week at Reconciliation Australia. Photo Phillipa McDermott. NAIDOC Week 2017 National Reconciliation NAIDOC Week was held from 3 to 10 July 2017 Week 2017 and the theme was Our Languages Matter. Reconciliation Week was held from 27 May to Activities were conducted nationally and 3 June 2017 and the ABC continued to promote included content, services, community the need to build on respectful relationships connections and initiatives for employees. between Indigenous and non-Indigenous • ABC Ultimo hosted an Indigenous themed people. The theme was Let’s Take the Next Steps. Trivia event attended by 120 employees. The ABC reflected on two significant • Radio hosted a pop up digital station on ABC anniversaries in the nation’s reconciliation Extra dedicated to Indigenous programming. journey—50 years since the 1967 referendum • Seven Word Up social videos were created and 25 years since the historic Mabo decision. across the week. Substantial content was created to support • Second series of Cleverman was launched. these significant anniversaries. • The ABC Board held its first Community Forum in Alice Springs to coincide with NAIDOC week.

Distribution of Indigenous employees by job group August 2017 August 2016 Job group No. % No. %

Senior Executive 4 1.2% 2 0.6% Administrative/Professional 28 4.3% 24 3.6% Content Maker 66 2.5% 70 2.6% Technologist 8 2.1% 9 2.4% Total 106 2.6% 105 2.6%

Note: Number and percentage based on Total Head Count, Non-Casual Employees, within Job Group. Data as at 31-08-17.

16 AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION EQUITY AND DIVERSITY ANNUAL REPORT 2016–17 Non-English Speaking Background

There is a high ratio of NESB

NESB CONTENT MAKERS increased to

technologists % at 29.2%, which is an increase 8.3compared with 7.8% in 2015–16. from 28.4% in 2015–16.

Representation of employees of a non-English speaking background August 2017 August 2016 Number of Number of Number of Number of employees with employees with employees with employees with NESB EEO data NESB EEO data Occupational group No. % No. % No. % No. %

Senior Executive 31 11.2 276 86.0 36 12.1 298 92.3 Administrative/Professional 116 21.1 550 85.7 122 19.5 608 89.4 Content Maker 168 8.3 2,029 75.7 169 7.8 2,163 78.9 Technologist 91 29.2 312 81.9 92 28.4 324 87.8 Total 406 12.8 3,167 78.4 419 12.3 3,393 82.5

* Number and percentage based on Total Head Count, Non-Casual Employees, within Job Group, who provided information on the ABC’s EEO Data Collection Form in regard to their non-English speaking background. Employees with EEO data represents Total Head Count, Non-Casual Employees, who completed the language section of the EEO Data Collection Form—both English speaking and non-English speaking backgrounds.

Non-English Speaking Background 17 Disability

Recruitment activities for Workplace access for people with disabilities employees with disabilities Recruitment processes were reviewed and The ABC provided the following for people new tools and communication mechanisms with disabilities: implemented to increase the number of people • Accessible working environments in with disabilities applying for roles. buildings and workstations. Five Disability Champions or Sponsors within • Special software and modified equipment. the ABC promote disability awareness with • Accessibility features in eLearning programs. activities for employees to encourage more • Created partnerships with disability employment placements. organisations and became involved with • The ABC Radio 2016 internship campaign initiatives such as Accessible Arts and attracted 10% of students with disabilities filmmakers at Attitude Pictures. or with experience as carers for people with disabilities. Online accessibility • The ABC partnered with disability job placement agencies to employ people The ABC is committed to providing accessible with intellectual disabilities at the Ultimo digital experiences for people with vision, head office and at the ABC in Brisbane. hearing, mobility and cognitive limitations. The ABC follows Web Content Accessibility • A six week placement for a person with Guidelines (WCAG), international standards and a disability at ABC Ultimo head office uses research, internal practices and audience was provided as part of a transition to feedback to help make better decisions. work program. • On a national basis, the ABC provided In 2016–17, ABC Accessibility released more work experience, employment information than 20 new products and created significant and hosted tours for groups of people updates to existing products. with disabilities.

Representation of employees with disabilities August 2017 August 2016 Number of Number of Number of Number of employees with employees with employees with employees with disability EEO data disability EEO data Occupational group No. % No. % No. % No. %

Senior Executive 13 5.2 248 77.3 17 6.3 271 83.9 Administrative/Professional 46 8.7 528 82.2 50 8.3 578 85.0 Content Maker 114 6.4 1,790 66.7 120 6.4 1,876 68.4 Technologist 26 8.9 291 76.4 26 8.6 301 81.6 Total 199 7.0 2,857 70.7 213 7.0 3,026 73.5

* Number and percentage based on Total Head Count, Non-Casual Employees, within Occupational Group, who provided information on the ABC’s EEO Data Collection Form that indicated they have a disability. Employees with EEO data represents Total Head Count, Non-Casual Employees, who completed the disability section of the EEO Data Collection Form – both those who have a disability and those who do not have a disability.

18 AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION EQUITY AND DIVERSITY ANNUAL REPORT 2016–17 Over

8,000hours of first run programming across all channels were broadcast with captions over the 2016–17 reporting year.

ABC ME Captioning and This website and mobile application contains accessible services videos for children. The app seamlessly In 2016–17, the ABC provided captioning services integrates with screen readers used by children for people who are deaf or who have hearing who are blind, and many videos feature closed impairments. Captioning delivers on screen captions for children with hearing impairments. descriptive text describing speech and scenes, and closed captioning indicates that text is Radio available when people need it.

Each year radio audiences vote for their The ABC provided captions on 99.9% of all favourite music on ’s Hottest 100 and programs transmitted on its primary television Classic 100 websites. In 2016–17, voting and channel between 6am and midnight. listening options were improved for people with limited vision, hearing and mobility. This is 0.1% below the required target of 100% outlined in the Broadcast Services Amendment Web and television (Improved Access to Television Services) Act 2012. The shortfall was due to technical faults. Immersive web collections like Right Wrongs and Our Focus: War on Waste complemented Captions were available on many programs television and radio stories. The ABC provided broadcast on ABC, ABC2, ABCKIDS, ABCME and improved keyboard access, captions, text ABC NEWS. transcripts and audio descriptions.

Other releases and updates with significant refinements in 2016–17 included ABC News, ABC Radio, ABC iview and Kids iview. Work has begun on new initiatives for 2017–18.

Disability 19 of19 these titles were from were70 ADULT TITLES, and 20 were ABC ORIGINATED content CHILDREN’S TITLES

Closed captions ABC products Programming with closed captions on the ABC’s internet catch up service, iview, continued to Books increase. This includes most of the content A range of titles published by ABC Books originally broadcast on the ABC main channel are now available through the Australian and ABC2, plus many children’s and educational publishing operation, Read How You Want. programs and selected iview exclusives. This customised book publishing service offers a print‑on‑demand service for people unable Audio description to read standard formatted books. Titles are Audio Description is a second audio track that available in large format editions. ABC Books explains visual content to blind and vision made 22 titles available during 2016–17. impaired audiences. ABC Audio In October 2016, the ABC submitted its report on a 15 month trial of Audio Description on Audio books across many genres and all ages ABC iview iOS services to the Department are accessible to the vision impaired and of Communications and the Arts. people with a print handicap. In 2016–17, ABC Audio released, through the licence agreement Consequently, the Federal Government with audio book publisher Bolinda, 90 titles in established an Audio Description Working physical and digital formats. Group to examine options for increasing the availability of audio description services in Australia. The ABC is an active participant of this Working Group.

20 AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION EQUITY AND DIVERSITY ANNUAL REPORT 2016–17 Content highlights

Launched Overall SOCIAL MEDIA reached for Right Wrongs Word Up 2.2 as a podcast million

Indigenous Radio – Don’t Fence Me In Reconciliation Week To commemorate 25 years since the Mabo case, Eddie Mabo’s daughter Gail provided an The ABC partnered with the National and State exclusive insight into Mabo family life before, libraries to create Right Wrongs, a major online during and after the historic decision. collaboration commemorating 50 years since the 1967 Referendum. NAIDOC Right Wrongs • Seven social videos produced for Word Up had 901,000 views. Overall, social media reached 2.2 million. • Launched Word Up as a podcast. • 57,700 visits, 123,000 page views, 1280 visits • ABC App had 865,000 views. per day, average seven minutes on the site. • Social video on Aboriginal English had 16 short form videos were published on the 390,344 views and 28,169 likes and shares. News and ABC main Facebook pages and cross posted to various Regional, Capital City Radio, TV and Indigenous pages with 470,000 views.

Content highlights 21 Pulse, Lost in Pronunciation, Ronny Cheing, The Warriors, Kiki and Kitty, Goober, all photos by ABC TV ABC Television’s Indigenous team develops TV Fiction and produces screen content with Indigenous characters and stories, created by • Pulse is set in the transplant unit of the Australian Indigenous screen practitioners. fictional City West Hospital in Sydney’s These programs include: western suburbs. Most of the lead cast are • The Warriors from diverse backgrounds with actors of Indian, African, Chinese, Greek, Samoan, • Kiki and Kitty Lebanese, Syrian, and Zimbabwean heritage. • Aussie Rangers • Ronny Chieng: International Student. • Rowdie’s Chemical Romance A comedian’s experience as an international • Cleverman 2 student at university in Australia with a • Black As Black Comedy diverse cast and emerging actors. • ABC Splash • Lost in Pronunciation (6 x 5’ series for iview and TV). Created by and starring Ivan ABC Splash partnered with First Languages Aristeguieta (Venezuelan comic) about Australia to run the Indigenous Languages the immigrant experience. Competition. Students were invited with their local Indigenous language group to translate Children and record their performance of the song, Marrin Gamu. • Let’s Go explored 5 locations across regional Australia, with children from different cultural backgrounds and abilities showing us where to ‘Walk’, what to ‘Eat’, where to make a ‘Splash’, who to ‘Meet’ and where to ‘Jump’ in their hometowns.

22 AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION EQUITY AND DIVERSITY ANNUAL REPORT 2016–17 DOWN SYNDROME views: 42 million Most viewed post in ABC’s history.

• Besties is a short-form series that explores Gender friendship, diversity and acceptance with real life best friends from mixed cultural • Growing Up Gracefully. Hannah and Eliza backgrounds, genders and physical and Reilly have a solution to the gender pay gap, mental abilities. imploring women to leave work early. • News to Me, ABC ME’s weekly good news • Advice To Your Younger Self Heroes. The Story and entertainment program followed junior of Women’s AFL on International Women’s Day. roving reporters celebrating their own culture and heritage at the Diwali and Lunar Disability New Year celebrations. • You Can’t Ask That. Marginalised people • My Year 12 Life followed 14 Australian year answer questions you’d never ask in person. twelve students as they self documented their final year of high school. The students –– Down Syndrome 42 million views. were from broad socio economic groups and • Invictus Games. The ABC is the exclusive cultural backgrounds. broadcaster for the Invictus Games to be • Kick is a mini documentary series that follows held in Sydney in 2018. girls at a under 11 soccer team who dream of playing professional football. Race and religious equality • Little J and Big Cuz was commissioned by • You Can’t Ask That. Refugees NITV and screened on ABC ME for NAIDOC • Compass. Week in 2017. This series is the first animated kids show to feature Indigenous Australians –– Speed Date A Muslim and their culture. –– Turban Legends –– The Troublesome Priest –– Out Of Egypt –– The Copts

Content highlights 23 91% % Non-Australian-born 62Non-Australian-born respondents believe respondents believe the ABC the ABC does a ‘GOOD OR VERY GOOD’ job performs a VALUABLE ROLE for of broadcasting programs which reflect the the Australian community cultural diversity of the Australian community

LGBTQI equality Australia Plus Indonesia • You Can’t Ask That. Children of Same • Story on the growing trend in the Indonesian Sex Couples community about selling food through • Compass. Power To The People Series social media. (Mardi Gras) • Michael J, a singer from Papua in Indonesia, toured five states to teach Indonesian Indigenous equality languages through music for high school students. • Right Wrongs social campaign for NAIDOC • For the Eid Mubarak, two stories were created • Compass. Power To The People series with about the traditions around animal slaughter guest host . in Australia and what has changed from traditions in the Moslem world. Australia Plus China • For Ramadan, people were profiled from • Six-episode food series – The Story of the Moslem minority countries such as an imam Signature Dishes (in English and Chinese). who moved to Melbourne from Europe This show features migrants from Korea, several years ago and a new convert. Turkey, France, Italy, and Indonesia The annual ABC Corporate Tracking Study who are contributing to Melbourne’s indicates that 91% of non-Australian-born multi‑cultural food culture. respondents believe the ABC performs a • Produced listicles featuring valuable role for the Australian community, Chinese‑Australian women in different and 62% of non-Australian-born respondents life stages. Mothers with different stories believe the ABC does a ‘good or very good’ job and scientists making breakthroughs of broadcasting programs which reflect the to celebrate International Women’s Day, cultural diversity of the Australian community.2 Mother’s Day and National Science Week.

24 AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION EQUITY AND DIVERSITY ANNUAL REPORT 2016–17 ABC Equity and Diversity Annual Report 2016–17 Equal Employment Opportunity Report to the Minister for Communications and the Arts

Published by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation 2017 ISSN 1839-3292 (Print) ISSN 1839-9452 (Online)

For information about this report, please contact: Lead Indigenous Employment and Diversity Australian Broadcasting Corporation GPO Box 9994 Sydney NSW 2001

Footnotes 1 EEO data till end August 2017 – excluding casual employees. 2 ABC Corporate Tracking Study, August 2016. GPO Box 9994 in your state/territory capital

Phone 13 9994 Fax 02 8333 5344 TTY 1800 627 854 abc.net.au