ABC National Forum
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ABC National Forum is an Australian television talk program that was first broadcast on 9 March 2026. It is hosted by David Speers and filmed in front of a live studio audience. It will air at an irregular pace, only when issues arise that necessitate a national conversation.
Background
Format
ABC National Forum will be broadcast on an irregular basis, with its future schedule being unconfirmed. The program is filmed in the ABC's Ultimo studios in Sydney. Two tables of subject-matter experts will be included in each episode. The show is to be hosted by Insiders host David Speers.[6] The program runs for about one hour and five minutes.[7]
At Senate Estimates, ABC managing director Hugh Marks stated that "it will be a public square, healthily pluralistic, which aims to elevate discussion on important issues affecting Australia."[8]
Episodes
The first episode aired at 8:30 pm on 9 March 2026 and was based around Jewish identity in the aftermath of the 2025 Bondi shooting.[9] The episode had guests including: former editor of The Age Michael Gawenda, member of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry Alex Ryvchin, executive director of the New Israel Fund Kate Rosenberg, social entrepreneur Ronni Kahn, and principal of Bialik College in Melbourne Jeremy Stowe-Linder.[6]
The first episode received a rating of 342,000 viewers.[3]
Reception
Louise Rugendyke from The Sydney Morning Herald stated that the program "was fine" and Speers "walked on eggshells for most of it", she is also sceptical of what the program adds to the ABC's broad programming agenda.[2]