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

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) a 2016 sub-licensing deal between Optus and the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) allowed Optus to screen all 64 matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, 39 of them exclusively,

  (ii) Optus charged customers $15 to access its streaming service of the World Cup, and

  (iii) technical errors left customers unable to watch matches during the tournament's opening weekend;

(b) notes further that the SBS has since arranged to show all remaining group stage matches, for free, to all Australians;

(c) considers this experience has demonstrated, once again:

  (i) the importance of our public broadcasters, and

  (ii) that the SBS is an invaluable national public institution; and

(d) congratulates SBS for delivering outstanding value for money to taxpayers. (general business notice of motion no.884)

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) 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.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor supports this motion and stands with Aussie fans who are understandably unhappy over the botched World Cup coverage. The blame lies at the feet of Malcom Turnbull who, as communications minister, ignored warnings that funding cuts would threaten the ability to fully cover future World Cups. SBS managing director, Michael Ebeid, last week told radio: 'At the end of the day, it comes down to finances. We have had about $40 million in reductions in our government funding.' Minister for Communications, Senator Fifield, last week suggested the solution was further commercialisation of SBS through increased advertising. Fans want more football not ads. Labor welcomes the cooperation of Optus and SBS to get games into homes, clubs and other venues. Prime Minister Turnbull and Minister Fifield still refuse to admit their cuts have consequences and to apologise to all Australian football fans. They need to guarantee their elitist out-of-touch government won't cut further funding from the SBS or ABC.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications) 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.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The point that I made in relation to the advertising flexibility legislation which was previously before the Senate, was that those opposite opposed it and that the managing director of SBS, Michael Ebeid, indicated that greater advertising flexibility is something that would have been of benefit to the organisation. The Senate chose not to support that legislation and so that legislation is no longer on the table. I was making an historical observation, for the benefit of colleagues. But I do note that Senator Chisholm did not, in his commentary there, indicate that it was the policy of the Australian Labor Party to increase the funding of SBS. I note in passing that the government did in the last budget increase the funding of SBS.

Question agreed to.