All entries on Feminist Legal Clinic’s News Digest Blog are extracts from news articles and other publications, with the source available at the link at the bottom. The content is not originally generated by Feminist Legal Clinic and does not necessarily reflect our views.
On 19 November 2025 at the National Press Club, we asked ABC Managing Director Hugh Marks about the ABC’s relationship with ACON, the LGBTQ+ advocacy organisation that operates the Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI), an accreditation program first publicly mentioned by the ABC in its 2019–20 annual report. Mr Marks’s response revealed that this significant governance matter – one that carries risks for public trust and perceptions of influence – is only now coming to his attention. A welcome recognition, if it leads to meaningful review.
During the televised question period, Mr Marks acknowledged concerns about the ABC’s coverage of transgender issues, agreeing that scrutiny is reasonable and that the organisation must consider “where we haven’t given the relevant amount of coverage that maybe we should have.” He emphasised that discussions about balance, sourcing and missing perspectives were already under way with the Head of News.