Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today Mr President to say: 'Shame on those opposite.' I am proud to be a friend of the ABC. It is do disappointing to sit in the chamber and hear people from the National Party come and defend this government's terrible record when it comes to broken promises when they promised before the last election that there would be no cuts to the ABC and SBS.

What do we have this afternoon? Senator McKenzie comes in here week after week espousing that she speaks for rural and regional Australia. She has let them down and let them down once too often.

Shame on the Abbott government for forcing the ABC to cut over 400 jobs—and before Christmas, Mr Acting Deputy President. I once referred to the former Prime Minister Mr Howard as Mr Scrooge. He is back in force in this government again this Christmas. 'How low can you go?'—I think this government should take that slogan to the next election. That is what they are: a government of the lowest-common denominator.

Today is a sad day not only in the history of our national broadcaster but, more importantly, in the history of our nation—a day where the ABC has been forced to cut 10 per cent of its workforce. Over 400 people will lose their jobs across the country. The 400 people have families and those 400 people at the ABC are the latest victims of Tony Abbott's lies.

I am a student of history, so let's look briefly back at this government's shameful record on this issue.