Australian Broadcasting Corporation: 19 Jun 2018: Senate debates (OpenAustralia.org)

Senate debates

Tuesday, 19 June 2018

Motions

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

4:26 pm

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that on 6 September, 2013, Mr Abbott promised voters "no cuts to the ABC";

(b) further notes that:

(i) the 2014-15 Budget cut the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's (ABC) funding by $47 million,

(ii) the 2014-15 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook cut the ABC's funding by a further $207 million,

(iii) the 2018-19 Budget has cut the ABC by an additional $84 million,

(iv) since September 2013, the ABC has been forced to absorb 1,014 job losses as a result of budget cuts, and

(v) trust in politicians is at an all-time low, and that this is not without reason;

(c) condemns the Liberal Party's decision over the weekend to support the privatisation of the ABC, noting that no members of the Turnbull Government, including the Minister for Communications, spoke against the motion; and

(d) calls on the Turnbull Government to make amends on its broken promises by rescinding its policy to privatise the ABC and reversing its damaging cuts.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government opposes this motion, which is based on a false premise. The coalition government has no policy to privatise the ABC. The coalition government's policy is to retain public ownership of the ABC. The coalition government will never privatise the ABC. Any suggestion otherwise is completely untrue.