David Feeney (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Justice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Australians were shocked this week to hear that the government had broken yet another promise and proceeded with its plans to attack the ABC, slashing some $200 million from their budget.

This July I assisted and supported the organisation of a public meeting in my home electorate of Batman, bringing together the ABC Friends organisation and members of the community. Literally, hundreds of passionate Batman constituents turned out to voice their opposition to the government's proposed cuts and to voice their support for the independent broadcaster, which has been such a constant in many of our lives.

In addition, I have received innumerable letters, emails and petitions, calling on the government to keep their hands off the ABC budget. The people of my electorate have clearly spoken in support of our national broadcaster. They are very plainly saying to those opposite, 'This is not what you promised, this is not what we want and we will hold you to account.' Let's hope those opposite will finally listen to the Australian people and overturn these cuts, because perhaps the saddest thing of all is that not only has this been a dramatically broken promise, but it has been delivered by a government that refuses to even admit that it has broken a promise—adding insult to injury.