Labor says new five-year funding for ABC will safeguard against arbitrary cuts and political interference

Michelle Rowland outside the ABC studios in Sydney. Labor says it will extend the national broadcaster’s funding to ‘take it beyond the three-year election cycle’ Photograph: Supplied

A new five-year funding term from 2023 would give the ABC financial stability and safeguard against arbitrary cuts and political interference, the Labor communications minister, Michelle Rowland, says.

In an interview with Guardian Australia on the eve of the ABC’s 90th birthday, Rowland said the Coalition “completely lied” about not cutting ABC funding in 2013 and the broadcaster had been harmed as a result. But she stopped short of agreeing with Kevin Rudd that the ABC had been “tamed” by cuts and incessant attacks.