Brian Mitchell (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Yesterday's budget cut another $127 million from the ABC. Since this government came to power in 2013, it has cut $381 million from the public broadcaster. That's $381 million less for news and current affairs, children's broadcasting, Australian drama production and specialist programs in the arts and sciences. I am most concerned by the impact the latest cut could have on the ABC's coverage of rural and regional issues which affect my electorate. These cuts hurt, and they are designed to hurt.

The lessons of this Liberal government are clear. You can rip off your customers. You can forge their signatures. You can charge fees for services not asked for and not delivered. You can even charge dead people. You can do all this and the Liberals will still reward you with a $17 billion tax cut. But what you can't do is upset the Liberals. You can't report news they don't like. You can't air opinions they don't agree with. Do that and they will punish you. They will make you pay. I am proud to stand up for the ABC. It does a wonderful job in Tasmania on a shoestring budget. But now, more than ever, we need a strong, trusted and independent public broadcaster.

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