Insiders host David Speers will have an expanded role in the ABC’s political coverage, taking on the new role of national political lead and reporting across the week, the ABC has announced.
The role comes ahead of the first broadcast on Sunday of Insiders from a recently upgraded Canberra studio.
Two new automatic cameras have been purchased for the ABC’s Northbourne studio to accomodate Insiders which was filmed for 21 years at the ABC’s Southbank studio in Melbourne.
“It’s terrific to have the program that’s all about the nation’s politics now based right in the centre of the action,” Speers said.
Last week’s show was held at the National Press Club because the set at Northbourne wasn’t ready.
The promotion of Speers, who will anchor the ABC’s political coverage alongside 7.30’s chief political correspondent, Laura Tingle, comes two weeks after the ABC removed the role of national political editor and made Andrew Probyn redundant.
The ABC insists the two moves are unrelated.
“This announcement is a separate initiative to the ABC’s recent proposed changes to the Canberra bureau and across ABC News, designed to increase our capacity to serve digital as well as broadcast audiences,” the ABC said.
“Consultation on those proposals is continuing.” The proposals include the loss of 41 positions in news and the abolition of eight state-based 7pm Sunday news bulletins.
A total of 120 jobs are to go as part of sweeping changes designed to transform the public broadcaster from a linear television broadcaster to a digital-first media organisation.
Speers, who moved back to Canberra from Melbourne last year, welcomed his new role.
“I’m also really pleased to have an expanded presence within the bureau,” Speers said. “The ABC Parliament House team is a powerhouse of incredibly talented and dedicated journalists. It’s a privilege to be part of this team and I look forward to working even more closely with everyone.”
“As Australians wrestle with hugely important issues around the cost of living, housing, climate change, the Indigenous voice, and many others, the Insiders team will be on the ground to help them navigate how the policies and politics are impacting the nation and people’s lives.”
The ABC director of news, Justin Stevens, said with Speers based in Canberra full time the organisation can better utilise his vast experience during the rest of the week and he would “have a bigger presence in ABC News’ political coverage across all platforms”.
“The ABC plays a vital role in scrutinising our federal policy and politicians and we plan to bring that coverage to more Australians across all ABC News services,” Stevens said.
Insiders is Australia’s most-watched morning show with an average weekly total audience in 2023 of 687,000 viewers across all viewing modes.
Insiders is the only ABC current affairs show to grow its broadcast audience since 2019, lifting its TV numbers by 4% while Q+A dropped by 36% and Four Corners by 19%, as audiences abandoned traditional broadcast television.
