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The ABC has quietly withdrawn from key LGBTQ+ and diversity partnerships, including ACON鈥檚 Pride in Diversity program, after significant external pressure equating the relationships with a loss of editorial independence.

In an internal announcement , the ABC confirmed it would end memberships with ACON鈥檚 Pride in Diversity program, the Australian Disability Network and the Diversity Council of Australia following a review of external partnerships.

The broadcaster said the arrangements were 鈥渘o longer providing sufficient value鈥� and emphasised a renewed focus on editorial independence. An ABC spokesperson told The Guardian the organisation would 鈥渁lways invest in these fundamental principles鈥� and would redirect funding toward internal initiatives.

鈥淭he ABC remains committed to diversity and inclusion and will redirect funding to internal initiatives.鈥�

The decision follows years of political and internal scrutiny over whether such partnerships created a perception of bias. , and grilling in senate estimates pointed to the ABC鈥檚 involvement in ACON鈥檚 Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI), which ranked and awarded the ABC based on its inclusion and diversity scores. ACON is a leading Australian not-for-profit that provides health promotion, HIV prevention, and community support services for LGBTQ+ people.

The Guardian reports that the ABC was paying at least $12,000 a year to ACON. In 2022, the ABC’s own Media Watch program

ACON’s is a national, membership-based program that helps employers improve LGBTQ+ inclusion in their workplaces by providing training, advice and benchmarking tools, including the Australian Workplace Equality Index, which measures and compares organisations鈥� progress on inclusive policies and culture.

A spokesperson for ACON stressed the organisation 鈥渄oes not seek to, nor do we have, any influence over the way media outlets who are members of Pride in Diversity report issues,鈥� adding it would continue supporting workplaces to improve LGBTQ+ inclusion.

The move happens under new managing director Hugh Marks, who has initiated a top-down review of partnerships. Recently, the UK’s BBC made a similar move and due to similar impartiality concerns.

The ABC’s coverage of LGBTQIA+ issues, including marriage equality, hosting Mardi Gras, and inclusive programming especially around children’s shows has received constant criticism from conservatives and hate groups, such as calling the broadcaster a 鈥減ublicly funded propaganda outfit鈥� due to a drag queen reading on Play School.