Federal treasurer Scott Morrison's 2018 budget has revealed the nation's taxpayer-funded broadcaster, the ABC, will have its funding frozen, amounting to an $83 million cut over the next three years.
"We've all got to live within our means, even the ABC," Morrison said.
The government will pause the ABC's operational funding until 2022, maintaining the corporation's base operational funding at 2018-2019 levels.
In 2014, then communications minister (and now prime minister) Malcolm Turnbull announced the ABC's funding would be cut by $254 million over five years. In 2016, it faced further cuts of $20 million to its reporting and digital services.
In a press release ABC head of communications Nick Leys said the decision to freeze the broadcaster's indexation from July 2019 came at a "critical time".
"The ABC’s independence and its commitment to in-depth analysis and commentary has never been more valued or trusted by Australian audiences, nor so critical to the challenges facing the nation," he said.
The ABC's managing director Michelle Guthrie said the ABC was "now more important than ever" given the introduction of international players in the local media industry.
"Our talented and dedicated content makers consistently deliver award-winning public interest journalism, regional services and critically acclaimed original Australian programs and content," she said.
"Stable, adequate funding is essential if we are to continue to deliver for Australian audiences."