(Photo: ABC)

The Board of Australia’s ABC has announced the appointment of Fiona Cameron to the new role of ABC Ombudsman.

The role is designed to strengthen the existing two-tier model of in-house complaints handling and external review by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

The ABC said Ms Cameron had a wide range of skills essential to the role and with experience in media, public policy and complaints processes developed over a thirty-year career.

Her most recent role has been Full-time Authority Member at ACMA, where she was Consumer Lead on the board responsible for a wide range of consumer matters related to the broadcast and telecommunications industries.

Prior to this Fiona was Chief Operating Officer at Screen Australia, a role she held for a decade.

ABC Chair Ita Buttrose said the new ABC Ombudsman role was an important one for both the ABC and its audiences.

“The ABC Ombudsman role has been created following the Independent Review of ABC Complaints Handling Procedures and will help strengthen the existing complaints handling processes that reflect the trust placed in the ABC by our audiences.

“We already have the highest standards of complaints handling in place of any Australian media organisation and Fiona’s appointment will assist us in maintaining those standards.

Ms Cameron will start as ABC Ombudsman in late September.