Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray Darling Basin) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, my question is to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy. I refer the minister to his media release of December 2010 regarding antisiphoning reforms, which states:

In early 2011, details on these quality guarantees for free-to-air coverage of AFL and NRL matches will be announced and legislation to amend the anti-siphoning scheme will be introduced into the Parliament.

Can the minister now outline why, two years past his self-imposed deadline, he has failed to pass legislation and will he finally confirm that, after creating significant uncertainty for stakeholders and stringing this process out for 2½ years, he has given up on legislating these reforms?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for his question, because the answer is very simple: you and those opposite. You have voted and ensured that this bill cannot pass the chamber. We brought forward a package of reforms that we have enacted in practice. You opposed it in the House of Representatives, and you have indicated you will vote it down in this chamber. You will vote it down with the Greens. Those opposite are once again demonstrating they do not understand what they are talking about. I will take this opportunity to congratulate the Socceroos for their fantastic win last night in qualifying for the World Cup and give you some evidence of how the policy is working in practice. Last night, because of all the deals that we put in place that you are opposing and will not let pass in this chamber, over 500,000 Australians watched it on Foxtel, and 1.7 million Australians—that is more than 2 million Australians—got to watch the Socceroos qualify for the World Cup because of this government's policies. As you would all know if you live in Sydney and Brisbane, or in Canberra particularly, you now get to see live AFL matches in non-AFL states. If you live in Victoria, Western Australia or Tasmania you can watch matches—

Bill Heffernan (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on a point of order. The senator realises, because he is a tech-head, that we do have technology and microphones. I can only turn my hearing aids down so much. Could he stop shouting?

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is not a point of order.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order! Just wait a minute, Senator Conroy, you have not got the call. When there is silence we will proceed.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

People in Victoria, people in South Australia and people in Tasmania are able to watch live NRL matches because of the reforms that we have enacted and because of the policy we have announced. We have more Australians watching all of our major sports on both platforms than ever before. (Time expired)

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray Darling Basin) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I remind the minister of his on-again, off-again antisiphoning legislation fiasco in September last year, when he withdrew the bills humiliatingly before even bringing them to a vote in this place. I note though that the antisiphoning bill was scheduled on the House of Representatives draft legislative program for debate this week. Will he inform the Senate what changes to the legislation he was proposing, what consultation there had been, why it was listed in the House this week and why it will now apparently not be proceeded with?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, once again, those opposite are blocking the passage of the bills. Then they stand up and say, 'It's a disgrace. You haven't passed the bill.' Do not block it! We have introduced reforms that see more Australians watching live sport than ever before. We know exactly what your position is. It has been communicated many times. The issue that has been at debate is that you and the Greens have decided to block the entire package on the basis of an agreement reached between the AFL and other sporting codes about reducing the number of matches that would be on the antisiphoning list, and, despite the front page of the Australian, which as always you take as your mouthpiece, as your propaganda vehicle, and which completely and utterly misrepresented the position, there is currently an antisiphoning list that protects these sports. We were seeking, with agreement, to reduce that. That has not been possible because you— (Time expired)

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray Darling Basin) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Does the minister acknowledge his Conrovian record of repeatedly failing to implement policies and reforms that he announces, with these failed antisiphoning reforms joining his failed internet filter, his failed media reforms and, of course, his failing NBN rollout? Can the minister confirm that he has abandoned antisiphoning reform because he could no more pick the best footy game of the week than the Labor Party could pick its best leader of the week?

Honourable senators interjecting —

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! We will continue when there is silence on both sides.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Let me repeat again: more Australians are watching live sport today than ever before, as with the Socceroos. We have just seen a record AFL sports rights deal, we have just seen a record NRL sports rights deal, and just in the last few weeks we have seen an absolute record cricket deal, not to mention a record tennis deal. Here is a policy in full failure: a record sporting rights deal; more Australians watching live sport. There were 1.7 million Australians watching the Socceroos last night on SBS because of this government's policy. Your government took the Socceroos off the antisiphoning list and put them on pay TV. Last night, 1.7 million Australians watched it because of this government and the policies that we have been putting forward.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I remind honourable senators that the time to debate this is after three o'clock.