Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I wish to raise my concerns and the concerns of the constituents I represent within this parliament over the cuts to ABC and SBS funding. On election night Tony Abbott, the now Prime Minister, said there would be no cuts to the ABC or SBS. This is another example of saying one thing before the election and another thing after the election. This government will go down in the records for its ability to break promises, and this is just another promise that has been broken. 'No cuts to the ABC, no cuts to SBS', and now we see that the Abbott government will cut more than $232 million from the ABC and $8 million from SBS. It is going to abolish the Australia Network, despite the fact it reaches 167 million households, giving access to what is happening in Australia to our Asian neighbours.

In addition, I would have to say that the fact that programs like Peppa Pigmy grandchildren's favourite program—are under pressure is a symptom of the fact that this government does not listen to and does not care about what Australian people want. I was visited in my office by people who are members of Friends of the ABC, and I think they may also be involved with GetUp! They came along to implore me to fight against these cuts. I will fight against these cuts because I know what a valuable role the ABC plays. It has certainly played an exceptionally valuable role within my electorate. Last October, there were bushfires in the Central Coast and Lake Macquarie in the southern part of my electorate. The ABC were there. They were reporting and they were helping people react to the emergency.

But the thing that really concerns me more than anything is what is going to happen to the ABC 92.5 on the Central Coast. I want a guarantee from this government that they are not going to close it down. The people of the Central Coast deserve to have an ABC studio operating in their area. They do not want or need a second-class ABC broadcast relayed through other areas. This government stand condemned for what they are doing to the ABC and for the cuts that they promised they would not make that they are now making. (Time expired)