Thousands of staff at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation have gone on strike from 11am after negotiations over a new enterprise agreement broke down, marking one of the most significant industrial actions at the broadcaster in decades.

ABC staff rejected a pay offer that included a 10 per cent increase over three years and a $1,000 signing bonus. Instead, employees are demanding more — more money, more conditions, more entitlements — all ultimately funded by the Australian taxpayer.

But the timing and tone of the strike have only added fuel to a long-running debate: why is a publicly funded broadcaster behaving like a political activist organisation while simultaneously demanding more public money?

The ABC has faced repeated scrutiny over its editorial standards in recent years. In one of the most widely criticised incidents, an internal review found the broadcaster had aired modified audio in a defence-related report, including added gunshot sounds that were not present in the original footage. The ABC later apologised, but the damage to trust was already done.

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The Federal Court found reporting involving former special forces commander Heston Russell carried defamatory imputations, rejecting key elements of the broadcaster’s defence and awarding damages.

Programs such as Q&A have also been repeatedly accused of bias in audience selection and framing, particularly on politically sensitive issues, with critics arguing the program too often operates as a curated echo chamber rather than genuine debate.

This week’s strike has only intensified scrutiny after ABC presenters used taxpayer-funded airtime to publicly advocate for their own pay rise, effectively turning the national broadcaster into a mouthpiece for its own industrial campaign.

ABC journalist Girish Sawlani told viewers: “We’re asking ABC management to deliver secure, safe and sustainable jobs so we can deliver the news and content you deserve.”

But that is precisely the problem, a publicly funded media organisation using its own platform to lobby for more taxpayer money, while its independence and impartiality are already under constant question.

Shadow Communications Minister Sarah Henderson described the move as a “disgrace”, accusing presenters of hijacking news bulletins to push misleading narratives about the dispute.

At its core, the strike is about pay. But for many Australians watching on, it’s become something else entirely: a reminder that the ABC isn’t just asking for higher wages, it’s asking taxpayers to keep funding an institution that increasingly seems to believe it is above scrutiny.