Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

Labor won't be supporting this motion. We support transparency, but we won't be part of a coordinated attack on the ABC by this government, by anyone—from Senator Bragg to Minister Fletcher. We do not support this motion from Senator McGrath, who regularly seeks to undermine the national broadcaster. The ABC has statutory independence, a term that you guys don't understand, and the government must respect that independence. This motion undermines continuous improvement in election coverage at the ABC, when the ABC is the most trusted news source in Australia and a fundamental pillar of our democracy. Labor will not be part of any base, short-sighted or ideological attack that undermines our democracy.