Sarah Henderson (Corangamite, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Singh then said:

Therefore, Women's National Basketball League will be broadcast. That is a national women's sport.

Mr Scott said:

It is the week-in, week-out competitions that we find hard … One of the things is that—

I am quoting directly—

if you cover the national team, you are more likely to get a national audience around that, whereas, if you cover other competitions, the audiences often are markedly smaller.

I worked at the ABC for some nine years. When I worked there, in the eighties and nineties, I understood very well, as did everyone at the ABC, that there was a fairly aggressive chase for ratings. That is what this decision is all about. It is about an aggressive chase for ratings. I have to say that it is disappointing, because the ABC's charter does not require this. That is why we have seen a drop off in very important programming like arts, Indigenous programming, specialist regional programs and now women's sport. What a shame that the ABC has pursued the broadcast of sports such as the Asian cup and left women's sport behind. I have no issue at all in agreeing with the member for Bendigo that this is an unfortunate and regrettable decision, but it is very dishonest and misleading for her to suggest that this is a result of the efficiency dividend, as we have heard in evidence before Senate estimates.

I also want to make very clear that the ABC is receiving in excess of $1 billion a year in funding from the Australian government. The efficiency dividend of $254 million over five years, a 4.6 per cent reduction, represents a reduction from $5.47 billion to $5.22 billion. Let us not kid ourselves: the ABC is still extremely well funded, courtesy of the taxpayer.

It is disappointing that the ABC has run the round of redundancies. I believe that there is some smoke and mirrors involved—an attempt by the ABC to tie its redundancies with the decision on the efficiency dividend and the Lewis efficiency review. But nevertheless the ABC has made it very clear that these decisions are a matter for the ABC. I would urge the ABC to reconsider its decision. We do need womens basketball back on television, and it is regrettable that this motion has been put forward in the way it has today.

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