Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I too rise to give my strong support to the National Broadcasting Legislation Amendment Bill 2009. I commend the member for Lyne for his contribution. It is always worth while, both in the chamber and on the football field. He said that four out of five ain’t bad. In the hope of making that five out of five, I take him to his suggestion that the government embrace the opposition’s amendment that people such as politicians and the like are ruled out. I think the intent of that piece of legislation is like a sign or symbol in showing how important the impartiality of the ABC is. Even though it might seem like, ‘Why aren’t we treated in the same way as people outside this chamber?’ it is important that we show that the ABC is totally independent—I am not just saying this for the sake of the member for Kennedy, the member for New England or the member for Lyne—and is removed from political influence, because the ABC plays such a pivotal role. It is not just a case of justice being done. Justice must be seen to be being done by totally removing politicians’ influence from the ABC. That is, unfortunately, necessary because of the political interference that occurred over the last few years under the Howard government. I thank the member for Lyne for his contribution because I am confident that this bill will put an end to governments on all sides using the ABC and SBS boards to reward mates and push their own agenda. Hopefully, that will move you to five out of five rather than four out of five.

Like the member for Lyne, I too love my ABC. While I have been known to occasionally venture onto commercial stations, it is only from the ABC that I get totally reliable news. I listen to NewsRadio and to Glen Bartholomew, whom I know from another connection that I will tell you about on another day. The member for Rankin might be interested to know that he was the manager of the band I was in many years ago.

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