Michelle Rowland (Greenway, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday in question time we had the unedifying spectacle of the Prime Minister giving us a demonstration in lying about lying. We all know that the night before the election the Prime Minister promised the Australian people that there would be no cuts the ABC and no cuts to the SBS. Those opposite were elected on this platform of no cuts the ABC or the SBS. They have betrayed that trust with their local communities.

That promise was made by a Prime Minister looking straight into the camera in Penrith in Western Sydney. No amount of hand wringing, petitions against oneself, letters to Mark Scott or feigned indignation from the front and back bench of those opposite is going to change the fact that they have ripped half a billion dollars out of the ABC and the SBS after being elected on a promise not to make any cuts. All of those opposite are guilty of inflicting these cuts that was see, amongst other things, 400 ABC employees lose their jobs; the Adelaide ABC production studio close; regional ABC posts in Wagin, Morwell, Gladstone, Port Augusta and Nowra shut; Radio National's Bush Telegraph cease; and the Newcastle afternoon show axed. There will be no more state specific 7.30program. Women's sport is cut. Those opposite can have an ABC that is nothing more than a glorified Twitter feed if they like, but Australians want diversity of content. They want Australian stories and they want our ABC protected. (Time expired)