The ABC, Australia's national non-commercial public broadcaster, will provide its audiences with the best programs, performances, products and services it can produce and acquire.

The ABC provides

• ABC Television: providing programs of quality, value and relevance for diverse audiences;
• Local ABC Radio: a network of nine Metropolitan Stations and Regional Stations in 49 locations across Australia, providing news, current affairs, information, sport, entertainment, and rural and special events coverage;
• Triple J: the youth radio network broadcasting contemporary music, news, current affairs, information, documentary and comedy programs;
• ABC Classic FM: the national stereo network devoted mainly to classical music, performance, audio arts and features;
• Radio National: a national network providing coverage and analysis of specialist fields, including politics, cultural affairs, science, history, the media, social issues, music and the arts, as well as performance;
• NewsRadio on the Parliamentary and News Network: a continuous news service broadcast when Parliament is not sitting; live broadcasts of Parliament at other times;
• Radio Australia: the ABC's overseas radio service, providing programs in English, Indonesian, Tok Pisin, Chinese, Vietnamese and Khmer;
• ABC Online: the ABC's internet network;
• ABC Enterprises: the ABC's publishing and retailing division;
• Symphony Australia and the ABC affiliated orchestras: a symphony orchestra in each state, serviced by Symphony Australia;

This Service Commitment is a statement of what you are entitled to expect in your dealings with the ABC.

Programming standards are covered in the ABC's Code of Practice which is available on request or on the ABC's Internet site (for contact details see end of this brochure).

The ABC is committed to

• treating audience members with fairness, courtesy and integrity;
• respecting legitimate rights to privacy and confidentiality;
• complying with relevant legislation such as the Commonwealth Freedom of Information Act 1982;
• responding to audience inquiries promptly and as comprehensively as possible;
• welcoming comments and answering, as far as possible, all written correspondence;
• welcoming and responding to complaints;
• providing accurate information;
• making information such as this Service Commitment and the ABC Code of Practice freely available;
• making program information, including closed captioned details and timely advice on program changes, widely available;
• monitoring audience concerns through phone calls, mail and press coverage; and
• ensuring relevant staff are provided with information about audience response to programs.

The Council is a statutory body established under the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983. It consists of 12 members of the public, appointed after widespread advertising and selected for their ability to provide broad representation of the Australian community. The Council advises the ABC Board on a wide range of programming matters and community concerns.

More information on the Council, its members and functions is available in the pamphlet ABC Advisory Council which is available on request or on the ABC Advisory Council website (contact details ).

Complaints about programs should be directed to ABC Audience & Consumer Affairs in the first instance. The ABC aims to respond as quickly as possible, but in any event, no later than four weeks after receipt of the complaint. If the response is likely to be delayed while information is collected, an acknowledgment will be sent.

You can write to ABC Audience & Consumer Affairs at GPO Box 9994 in your capital city, or by email.

The ABC will make a reasonable effort to provide an adequate response to complaints except where a complaint is clearly frivolous, vexatious or not made in good faith or the complainant is vexatious or not acting in good faith.

Independent Complaints Review Panel (ICRP): The ABC has established an Independent Complaints Review Panel to review written complaints which allege serious cases of bias, lack of balance or unfair treatment in ABC broadcasts. If you make such a complaint to the ABC and do not receive a response within four weeks or are dissatisfied with the response, you may ask the Panel for a review (contact details).

Australian Broadcasting Authority: You may ask the Australian Broadcasting Authority to investigate your complaint if it is covered by the ABC's Code of Practice, and if you haven't received a response from the ABC within 60 days or you are dissatisfied with the response, or the ICRP did not accept your complaint for review or you are dissatisfied with the ICRP's finding.

Independent Complaints Review Panel
GPO Box 688, Sydney NSW 2001
Phone: (02) 8333 5639

Australian Broadcasting Authority (Sydney)
PO Box Q500, Queen Victoria Building NSW 1230
Phone: 1800 226 667

For ABC TV and radio reception advice please contact the ABC Reception Advice Line on 1300 13 9994. This number is staffed between 8am and 7pm (Eastern Standard Time). Voicemail is available outside these hours and on public holidays.

Alternatively you can email the Reception Advice team at reception.advice@abc.net.au or write to:
ABC Distribution & Communication
GPO Box 9994
Sydney NSW 2001

For further information visit the ABC website at http://abc.net.au/reception/

The ABC will report on its performance against this Service Commitment in its Annual Report to Parliament. The Annual Report is available on the ABC's Internet site (contact details ).

Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Head Office:
ABC Ultimo Centre
700 Harris Street, Ultimo 2007
GPO Box 9994, Sydney NSW 2001
Phone: (02) 8333 1500
Fax: (02) 8333 5305
TTY: 1800 627 854
Internet site: http://abc.net.au

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Branches:

Write to:
ABC Branch Manager
GPO Box 9994, in the capital city of your State or Territory.

• Brisbane
  Ph: (07) 3377 5222
  Fax: (07) 3377 5633
  
  
• Sydney
  Ph: (02) 8333 1500
  Fax: (02) 8333 5305
  
  
• Canberra
  Ph: (02) 6275 4555
  Fax: (02) 6275 4601
  
  
• Melbourne
  Ph: (03) 9626 1600
  Fax: (03) 9626 1601
  
  
• Hobart
  Ph: (03) 6235 3333
  Fax: (03) 6235 3407
  
  
• Adelaide
  Ph: (08) 8343 4000
  Fax: (08) 8343 4800
  
  
• Perth
  Ph: (08) 9220 2700
  Fax: (08) 9220 2899
  
  
• Darwin
  Ph: (08) 8943 3222
  Fax: (08) 8943 3125

National Transmission Agency
GPO Box 2154, Canberra ACT 2601
Phone: 1800 077 361