Matt Thistlethwaite (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Kingsford-Smith community, I wish to condemn the Abbott government for cutting $254 million from the budget of the ABC over the next five years and for deceiving and misleading the Australian people about his support for our nation's public broadcaster. On the night before the last election, we all know that commitment that the Prime Minister gave to the people of Australia: no cuts to health, no cuts to education, no changes to pensions and, importantly, no cuts to the ABC or SBS. That was the commitment that our Prime Minister gave the people of Australia—completely obliterated in the last couple of days.

The ABC is revered by members of our community who believe that a strong, well funded, independent public broadcaster is the hallmark of democracy. The strength of democracy is related to the strength of the ABC and its ability to program and to report the news. The ABC provides the most independent news broadcast service in Australia. We are heading into bushfire season and many people in rural and regional communities rely on the advice that they get through the ABC about the impending threat of bushfires.

A great producer of Australian drama, a great promoter of the arts, in particular music, and, importantly, the unearther of new talent in Australia. Many young Australian artists who have gone on to great success in many walks of life have got their start at the ABC. This is now under threat due to the Abbott government's cuts. Four hundred jobs are going to go for the broadcaster over the coming months.

Unfortunately the closure of rural and regional facilities and programs means, in particular, sport is going to suffer under these changes including the ABC's coverage of the local Shute Shield rugby. For many in my electorate, turning on the ABC to catch the local club rugby game of the week is a ritual. And of course the galloping Greens, the mighty Randwick club, is one that features regularly on the ABC. The Sydney club scene is the foundation of rugby union in this country. It will not help by having that program cut on a Saturday afternoon, and the fans are not happy. On Facebook, AJ Dundas wrote: 'Are we still going to see the Shute Shield on the ABC next year? Or has Tony Abbott "not cut" that as well?' Well, Mr Dundas, the Shute Shield, the VFL, the WAFL, the NTFL, the W-League and the WNBL have all been cut as a result of this government's callous approach to the ABC. I wholeheartedly, on behalf of our community, condemn the Abbott government for the ABC cuts.