Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today it has been confirmed that the ABC is being decimated by the Abbott Liberal government. This morning, one by one, ABC employees in my electorate of Newcastle were walked in to meetings about their future with local broadcaster, 1233 Newcastle. For about one-third of that station there is no future. Newcastle is to be downgraded to a regional outpost; local programming will be cut, including Carol Duncan's much loved afternoon show; back office staff will go; and up-and-coming producers and broadcasters will be lost.

1233 Newcastle is an intrinsic part of our city and the broader Hunter region and provides a vital platform for our community to connect, to learn and to be informed. They are there when we need them—in times of emergency, times of celebration and times of turmoil—and are a comforting voice every day to thousands of Novocastrians. The loss of regional media jobs leaves the entire community is worse off. This is a hurtful day for my community. Cuts to the ABC are cuts to every member of our community.

Those opposite—including the member for Paterson, who was on air this morning—are blaming Mark Scott and the ABC board for programming cuts, when they are simply acting on government orders. Tony Abbott's cuts to the ABC and SBS are half a million dollars— (Time expired)