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

Today is the dark day for the parliament, because today it looks like the coalition is getting through a dirty deal with One Nation and the Nick Xenophon Team for the so-called media reform package. You don't call it reform when it makes things worse. Australia already has one of the most concentrated media markets in the world. When it comes to where they get to consume their media, Australians have fewer choices than people in just about any Western developed nation in the world. This is a complete sell-out by the government, and certainly by Senator Xenophon, because if you are doing a deal with One Nation you can pretty much be sure you are on the wrong side.

One Nation wants to gut the ABC and have an investigation in the ABC. The ABC is an absolute institution in this country and I am proud to stand here and defend the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It is an absolute institution and we should defend it. Look at the household name programs: Four Corners, 7.30, Insiders, Catalyst, Landlineand Play School. Where would this nation be without these programs? Just in the last week, in the parliament, the ABC came and we all were getting our photos with Bananas in Pyjamas and the rest of them. We all were happy to cuddle up to them, but, meanwhile, in the Senate One Nation were having a go. We need to stand up to these people who are attacking the ABC. You shouldn't be doing these deals to get a dirty media reform package through the parliament. Australia deserves better.