Flint steps down from ABA

Professor David Flint has announced he will be resigning as chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA). The move follows in the footsteps of last month's announcement that the Federal Government is to merge the ABA and the Australian Communications Authority (ACA).

"With the imminent introduction of legislation to merge the ABA and the ACA, which seems to have bipartisan support, and the public interest in that merger proceeding seamlessly with a minimum of controversy, there would be an advantage in having both the chairmanship of the ABA and the ACA vacant," Flint said in a statement issued by the ABA.

Mid May Daryl Williams, Minister for Communications, IT and the Arts, announced the ABA and the ACA would be merged to "establish a new media and communications regulator".

According to a statement issued by Williams at the time, the new body -- the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) -- will be established by early July next year. This is subject to the passage of enabling legislation through the Federal Parliament, he said.

An ABA spokesperson confirmed that Flint will take leave from the end of this week until his resignation takes effect 2 July.