Departing ABC news director Justin Stevens will receive $300,000 as part of a “secret golden handshake”, The Australian exclusively revealed.
The money will obviously come from the ABC, meaning it’s essentially tax-payer funded.
Earlier in June, ABC managing director Hugh Marks confirmed Stevens didn’t know selection for his replacement was in progress when he resigned from the ABC in late May.
Stevens announced his resignation on May 27, after almost two decades of service. The ABC announced that Reuters deputy editor-in-chief Simon Robinson would replace him – the next day.
Marks explained in an interview with Radio National breakfast that he believed Stevens’ departure was “inevitable”, and so had engaged a recruitment firm to find a replacement, as “a general sort of succession planning.”
“Mr Stevens certainly wanted to resign, so that’s what we agreed was the relevant way for him to go.”
The managing director also confirmed that Stevens was not informed that his replacement was being sought or in the final stages of appointment.
ABC Boss Hugh Marks and Senator Sarah Henderson
‘He was pushed’: ABC boss faces Senate grilling over Justin Stevens exit
In May, Marks faced scrutiny over the sudden resignation of the ABC news boss, with senators suggesting that Stevens had effectively been pushed out of the role.
Appearing before Senate Estimates less than 24 hours after Stevens’ resignation was announced internally, Marks was repeatedly questioned about the circumstances surrounding the veteran executive’s departure.
Within minutes of proceedings beginning, Senator Sarah Henderson told Marks: “It does very much look like he was pushed”.
“Can I put it to you that there were too many instances where Mr Stevens made the wrong judgment?” Henderson said.
“It does very much look like he was pushed, he was encouraged to resign, he was on the tipping block, I think it’s well known within and outside the ABC.”
Marks did not directly reject the characterisation, instead pivoting to the broadcaster’s future direction.
“As we go into a future that rapidly approaches for many years, but it continues at a pace, you know, it calls into question what our strategic priorities are in all of our output,” he said.
“What has served us in the past may not serve us well in the future, and this applies to all of our divisions, not just News and current affairs.”
Stevens joined the ABC in 2007 and held a number of senior editorial positions across television news and current affairs before being appointed director of news.
During his time at the broadcaster, he oversaw major news operations and coverage across federal elections, bushfires, the COVID-19 pandemic and international reporting.
Main image: Justin Stevens