The ABC has unveiled more changes for 2024, with news presenter Karina Carvalho to depart the broadcaster and Patricia Karvelas named as a permanent host for TV’s Q+A.

Carvalho, who has been at the national broadcaster for 17 years, has most recently been a newsreader on ABC 24, based in Sydney.

She will work her final shift on Wednesday.

“The ABC will always have a special place in my heart, I’ve been able to meet and work with so many talented people,” she said in comments reported by The Australian.

“Now is the right time to venture into the next phase of my career and I’m excited to see what’s around the corner.

“I wish my colleagues at the ABC nothing but the best.”

Carvalho was born in Sri Lanka and moved with her family to Perth when she was four.

During nearly two decades with the ABC, she has anchored the 7pm news in Perth, hosted ABC News Breakfast alongside Michael Rowland and presented Queensland’s 7pm news bulletin.

Carvalho didn’t reveal her plans for future work. But The Australian reports that “already commercial networks are circling” – with the likely promise of a pay boost.

The ABC has lost several high-profile presenters this year. They include former Q+A host Stan Grant, who quit amid a storm over racial abuse and what he said was a lack of support from the broadcaster.

“Not one ABC executive has publicly refuted the lies written or spoken about me. I don’t hold any individual responsible; this is an institutional failure,” he said.

“On social media my family and I are regularly racially mocked or abused. This is not new. Barely a week goes by when I am not racially targeted. My wife is targeted with abuse for being married to a Wiradjuri man,” he wrote in a column announcing his decision.

Grant’s wife, Tracey Holmes, who was a sports presenter and had been at the ABC since 1989, resigned only weeks later.

Karvelas took over as temporary Q+A host after Grant’s departure. On Monday, the ABC named her as the permanent host for its flagship panel show.

She will also continue to host RN Breakfast three-five mornings a week.

“Q+A is the town hall. It’s the only program bringing together a range of guests to debate the big issues where ordinary people – not journalists or insiders – can come along and ask questions of powerful people,” Karvelas said.

“I thrive on big and difficult conversations and I’m excited and privileged to take on the role of host of this iconic ABC program in 2024.”

In other departures from the national broadcaster in recent months, Sydney radio afternoon host Josh Szeps quit live on air in November, citing the “penalties for speaking bluntly”. His announcement followed a dispute with a colleague.

Earlier in the year, Virginia Trioli quit as the morning host of Melbourne radio for family health reasons. She will return to ABC TV to present a prime-time arts show in 2024.

In recent weeks, long-term Triple J host Richard Kingsmill also finished up, after being made redundant. He was followed out the door by the broadcaster’s former head of music and creative development, Meagan Loader.

Perhaps most prominently, Ita Buttrose confirmed in August that she will not seek a second term as ABC chair when her tenure ends in March 2024.

The 81-year-old was appointed to the role by then prime minister Scott Morrison, as a “captain’s pick”. Buttrose said she had enjoyed her time at the ABC immensely and was honoured to have chaired such a great Australian institution.

“There have been many memories, some challenges, and I have relished the opportunity to play a role in the ABC’s history,” she said.