Ursula Stephens (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Science and Water) Share this | Hansard source

I am a bit taken aback by that contribution to the debate and I will leave the individuals who suffered such a personal attack to defend themselves. It was a quite extraordinary attack on individuals which, no doubt, will be pursued in the public domain. I rise to contribute to the debate about the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Amendment Bill 2006, which is before us in the Senate at the moment and which we on this side of the chamber know is a sad attempt by the Howard government to actually undermine the efficiency, integrity and independence of Australia’s national broadcaster—and that is perhaps what is reflected in the words of the previous speaker.

The ABC was established in 1932 and today it is one of Australia’s national icons. It began as a radio network, expanding over time to encompass television, print media and online services. It does not matter whether you live in metropolitan or rural Australia, you can see or hear the ABC. The Australia-Pacific television services even broadcast to Australians living in some overseas locations. During World War II, the ABC gained a reputation for delivering an authoritative and independent news bulletin to Australians across this huge continent. In the postwar years, the quality and quantity of ABC programming was expanded dramatically. Light entertainment, sports and talkback were added to the roster. In the fifties the ABC increased the number of journalists and broadcasters dedicated to coverage of rural affairs.

In late 1956 the ABC started regular television broadcasts from Sydney and Melbourne, broadcasting the Olympic Games from Melbourne. Then in the sixties and seventies we saw news and current affairs dramatically influenced by an expanding social and intellectual awareness in the community. In 1961 ABC TV started a weekly current affairs program, Four Corners, and a new, vigorous investigative style of reporting political and social issues began. 1967 saw the introduction of a new weeknight current affairs program, This Day Tonight, alongside its radio counterpart, PM. The era also saw such pioneering television shows as Six O’Clock Rock, Hitscene and Countdown, as well as The Science Show on ABC Radio.

As we all know, this is the era that produced arguably one of Australia’s greatest news and current affairs reporters, Richard Carleton, who spent a quarter of a century at the ABC, working on This Day Tonight, State of the Nation and Nationwide, and he fronted the Carleton-Walsh Report, which featured Richard’s unique political commentary. With his death on Sunday, Australia lost a great personality and a dynamic journalist. I am sure that everyone in this place joins together in expressing to his family our deep regret at his death.

The 1980s and beyond saw significant restructuring at the ABC. Indigenous affairs, comedy, social history and current affairs all expanded quite significantly. During its 74-year history, the ABC has helped to define and evolve Australia’s national identity. When the Howard government came to power in 1996, it immediately reduced the ABC’s operational grants by 10 per cent—an attempt to curtail the ABC’s political coverage via its news and current affairs divisions. By attempting to abolish the staff-elected director position, the Howard government again seeks absolute control over the ABC board and, as such, control over programming and policy.

The ABC, particularly in its current affairs programming, has been consistently open, honest and critical in its analysis of the Howard government, and I know that this rankles those sitting on the benches opposite. The staff-elected director is the only position on the ABC board whose appointment is completely transparent. Its abolition would open the way for yet another government-appointed director to the board.

Section 8 of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983 outlines the duties of the board:

(1)

It is the duty of the Board:

(a)

to ensure that the functions of the Corporation are performed efficiently and with the maximum benefit to the people of Australia;

(b)

to maintain the independence and integrity of the Corporation;

(c)

to ensure that the gathering and presentation by the Corporation of news and information is accurate and impartial according to the recognized standards of objective journalism ...

It is my strong belief and the belief of those on this side of the chamber that abolishing the staff-elected director and deputy staff-elected director positions can have only one result: the ABC board will no longer be able to maintain the independence and integrity of the ABC. Abolishing the staff-elected position removes the only non-government-appointed member of what is already a politically stacked board. It has historically been the case that the staff-elected director is often the only person on the board with extensive broadcasting experience. So eliminating the staff-elected position on the board eliminates essential knowledge of the ABC’s core business.

One submission to the Senate inquiry into this bill had the following to say:

The ABC plays a critical role in our Australian society in being a truly independent voice in an environment where most of the media is owned and controlled by ‘Big Business’ and vested interests. Witness the ‘hype’ surrounding Kerry Packer’s death and the power wielded by the Murdoch empire.

It would be ironic if the one elected member of the ABC is cast aside in favour of yet another Government appointee. For the ABC to remain truly independent it needs to be a ‘voice of the people’, a role filled by the staff-elected director.

Let us make no mistake about it: the ABC is under attack from the Howard government. During Senate estimates last year, the ABC revealed that, in real terms, it has lost $51 million per annum from its budget since the Prime Minister came to office. The Prime Minister has an obsession with the ABC. The ABC’s funding cuts have had a dramatic impact on its ability to fulfil its charter obligations. This is particularly evident in the production of Australian drama. Production of local adult drama totalled only 20 hours last year—a major decline from the 102 hours broadcast in 2001.

ABC Rural has also suffered under the Howard government’s funding cuts. ABC local radio plays an integral part in the lives of regional Australians. It is often the only source of reliable news and information for people in rural and regional Australia, particularly during times of crisis such as bushfires. The ABC rural department’s flagship program, Country Hour, is now in Guinness World Records as Australia’s longest-running radio program, last year celebrating 60 years of rural broadcasting. The essential services that the ABC provides to rural Australians are under threat because the Howard government refuses to adequately fund the ABC.

The Howard government made a promise during the 2004 election to review the adequacy of the ABC’s funding. The minister appointed KPMG to undertake this review. The government has received KPMG’s report, but the minister refuses to release it. What has the government got to hide? Perhaps it found that the ABC is chronically underfunded. The Australian people deserve a world-class public broadcaster and they are entitled to a proper debate about the level of funding required to achieve that. Instead, this government stifles debate as it works towards its goal of destroying the ABC. Senator Coonan claims the report has not been released because it is a budget input. Australian taxpayers are not so easily fooled. They will be watching tonight’s budget announcement with keen interest. After 10 years of watching—