Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to speak to the motion to take note. I am not quite sure what Senator Ludlam's discussion then had to do with taking note of why the question had not been answered, which is what I understood this was all about. But it did remind me how, in the days of the Labor government—the Labor Party supported by the Greens—refused to allow the ABC to provide information that we sought on many occasions on questions about the payments made to senior broadcasters of the ABC. I wonder why Senator Ludlam is now so keen to get these answers when, back in those days, he was never keen to insist on the Labor Party providing answers at all.

Although it was not germane to the motion, Senator Ludlam did carry on at some length about the ABC having an efficiency dividend. I think most Australians and most government departments will think, scratch their heads and say, 'Now, everybody else has efficiency dividends. Why is it that the ABC should be excused from these efficiency dividends?' It is an interesting question that perhaps Senator Ludlam may at some other time be able to explain. Why should the ABC be set aside whilst education, health—do not quote me on those; I am not on the inner circle in what is going to happen in the budget—and all other departments, I suspect, will be asked to contribute to paying off the Labor Party's $600 billion debt that they ran up with the support of the Greens?

I just note in passing that Senator Ludlam talks favourably about the SBS. I do not mind the SBS. I think it is almost self-funding itself—I do not have the figures in front of me just now—but it is more efficient and it has advertising from the public—that is, from industry. I am not one to suggest that the ABC should raise its own revenue.

I do note Senator Ludlam's praise of the former minister, Senator Conroy. I do not want to go into that, except to say I know Senator Conroy did try to help the ABC by—against all advice from his department and from independent sources—giving the contract for Australia's international broadcasting to the ABC, when all of the sensible advice was to give it to an organisation that was seen to be able to do that in a more balanced way and in a way that was in Australia's interests. But perhaps that is what Senator Ludlam was getting at.

Lest I be misunderstood on this, I just want to say I have no vendetta against the ABC. ABC radio, particularly in regional Australia, does a magnificent job. I could not say quite the same about their news bulletins and their current affairs programs emanating from a capital city, but certainly in many instances—in the work they do in regional and rural Australia in radio in particular—they are a wonderful organisation.

Also on that line, the ABC for many years has been running a wonderful program called Heywire, which brings young people from rural and remote Australia—people who would never normally have the opportunity—to Canberra to see what other people, or other kids from the closer capital cities, see quite regularly. They bring them into Canberra. I have great regards for the ABC in that instance. I support the motion of Senator Ludlam that we should take note of Senator Fifield's answer.

Question agreed to.