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

Early yesterday morning, despite the parliament sitting past midnight, I went on Brisbane radio with Spencer Howson to talk about my campaign to make sure that the ABC does not consider cutting the broadcast of Queensland Cup Rugby League fixtures—easily the second-best league comp in the world. I love my ABC—and Warren Boland is the prince of commentators—and I love my rugby league. I was even my hometown player of the year back in the stone ages. So I thought that launching a petition was a legitimate thing to do. After all, a national sport like bowls was already in the ABC's crosshairs and I think the Constitution still says we have responsibility for broadcasting. But then professional spin doctor and my previous Liberal-National Party opponent put out a slick press release calling me a liar and saying that televising Queensland rugby league is not an important issue. This is the same bloke who wrote to the Moreton electorate claiming he was local, but he forgot that he did not grow up in Moreton, did not live in Moreton and did not work in Moreton and his kids did not even go to school in Moreton. When this 'mistake' was pointed out to the so-called professional spin doctor, LNP headquarters, not my opponent, apologised for the 'mistake'.

Only a fool would say that a federal government MP should not closely watch what the ABC is up to. I believe that Nationals MP John Forrest raised similar concerns in the Opposition party room this week. To say that broadcasting Queensland rugby league is not important you would have to be either a fool or, worse, a New South Wales supporter. To the member for Warringah, the No. 1 Manly ticket holder, I say one thing: go the Broncos!

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! It being 2 pm, the time allotted for members' statements has concluded.