The board of the Australian Film Institute (AFI) and Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) has issued a statement to members confirming it has made an offer to Oscar-winning filmmaker Dr George Miller in an effort to resolve an ongoing dispute over the organisation’s leadership.

In the statement, the board refers to what it describes as Miller’s “constant disparagement” of the organisation and threats of litigation dating back to April 2026.

The board also confirmed that Jack Christian has stepped down as chair after six years, that a new general manager has been selected, and that a significant broadcast agreement supporting the AACTA Awards through to 2030 will be announced in the coming weeks.

The board’s statement to members is reproduced in full below.

The board announced the changes in a letter to members on Monday. It said it has chosen a new General Manager and will announce “a significant broadcast deal” in the coming weeks, which it says will support the Awards through to 2030…. Dear Members,

We have received enquiries regarding an article written by Michael Bodey posted on his Substack, Shouting at Clouds,on 16 October 2026.

While the AFI and its Board cannot comment on any of the claims made, we would like to update you on the actions that the Board is taking to improve the financial and operational health of the organisation.

We have recently made an offer to Dr Miller to end his constant disparagement of the organisation and his threats of litigation which commenced in April 2026 and remain unactioned. We believe these threats are driven by an intention to reverse the restructure undertaken by the Board, including the restoration of the former CEO to his previous position.

We have asked Dr Miller to instead work with us to create a better and stronger AFI/AACTA.

The current Board are looking to the future and acknowledge the management practices and financial oversight of the past were lacking. Our full focus is to reset AFI/AACTA for long term success. Specifically, we have been working hard to: 

·     Finalise the appointment of a General Manager to lead AFI/AACTA successfully into its future;  
·     Provide clear strategic direction; 
·     Strengthen governance, both organisationally and at a Board level; 
·     Deliver transparency and best practice financial management, and; 
·     Ensure sufficient long-term planning. 

To deliver on these priorities, we are committed to diversifying and expanding the Board to better represent broader expertise across both film and screen content. 

The well-credentialled names that Dr Miller has suggested are fine candidates, but we believe there is a much broader team that can be assembled to better represent our membership and to ensure delivery of the AFI/AACTA priorities.

Over the past couple of months, the Board has commissioned the work of an experienced operations manager to interrogate every area of the business and to identify reporting and policy issues that have been ignored for several years. In doing this, we have been able to set new budgets that have made significant savings in the way the organisation operates.

The Board are currently working with a partnership consultant to support the existing team in identifying commercial opportunities to support the growth of the Awards and Festival, ensuring they can continue to be funded to maintain and exceed the standards already set by this organisation.

We are also looking at ways we can grow the Awards beyond what they are now and create even better opportunities for our members and partners. The Board is committed to establishing new initiatives to further the engagement and support that our industry deserves.

As to the financial questions raised by Mr Mitchell, AFI/AACTA has engaged independent auditors as well as external accountants and we will release our financial reports as we do every year before the AGM. It should, however, be noted that the restructure was instituted to address past financial performance and the Board has undertaken strong financial measures to repair the financial position since the last financial reporting date.  

The Board and its new management structure are committed to total transparency to bring this organisation back to financial and governance health. 

We have a long-term plan to keep the AFI/AACTA at the centre of our industry and in the coming weeks we will be announcing a significant broadcast deal which will provide unprecedented support for the awards through until 2030.

Importantly, we have been conducting a search for a new General Manager to lead the organisation and have settled on a successful candidate. We have shared their identity confidentially with Dr Miller to give him some comfort about the level of expertise they will bring to AFI/AACTA.

With the General Manager search now complete, we can also confirm that the AFI/AACTA Chair Jack Christian has stepped down from the Board and his role as Chair. The Board thanks Jack for his six years of service guiding the organisation through a time of change and repositioning. Under his chairmanship, Christian secured the largest government partnership deal in the organisation’s history. He led the Board’s work to strengthen governance, improve financial transparency and reporting and tighten financial controls. During his tenure, AFI/AACTA expanded its national and international reach, with the Awards’ move to the Gold Coast and the launch and growth of the AACTA Festival and Screen Careers Expo.

“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together. We’ve secured major partnerships, strengthened the organisation and created new opportunities for Australian screen talent to be seen and celebrated here and internationally. These are substantial achievements that will benefit the AFI/AACTA well into the future,” Christian said.

The Board will keep you informed on our offer to Dr Miller, as we hope we can come to a position together where the future and stability of this organisation will be the primary focus for us all.

Faithfully,

The Board, AFI/AACTA