Kate Thwaites (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week, I added my voice to the bushfire condolence motion here. I made particular reference to the work of journalists and news organisations during the crisis, especially the work of the ABC. This summer has proven to us what a vital resource rural and regional journalism is. By having regional reporters, producers and crews who were on the ground in fire affected regions, Australians were given accurate local information, which, at a time of crisis, literally contributed to saving lives. The ABC was often the first to deliver messages and emergency updates in real time. The significance of the ABC during this time should not be underestimated. It's for this reason that I am astounded by the government's complete disregard of the ABC and the work it does. In fact, it goes further than disregard. Just yesterday Senator McGrath stood up in the other place to attack the ABC, describing it as a joke and saying that the public see it as 'unAustralian'. I think you've misread the room, Senator. Australians value the ABC and they're appalled by what's happening to it under this government.

Australians living in regional and remote areas have already suffered because of cuts to the ABC. They know that any further cuts to the ABC in the budget mean cuts to the services that they need to provide vital local information during times of emergency. This government has cut a total of $366 million from the ABC since 2013. This has led to: more than 800 ABC staff losing their jobs; the axing of the Australia Network; the shutdown of short-wave radio; and the cutting of programing hours with factual programming dropping by 60 per cent, drama by 20 per cent and documentary by 13 per cent.

On the eve of the 2013 election, Tony Abbott promised that there would be no cuts to the ABC—a promise that did not last into government. In June 2018, the Liberals' Federal Council voted almost two to one to privatise the ABC. And now we have Liberal senators standing up to attack our national broadcaster. Labor will always support the ABC. Australians need their ABC more than ever. It's our strong, trusted and independent national broadcaster. It supports us in times of emergency. It's an Australian institution.

Having worked at the ABC myself, I know how seriously its staff take their role and their responsibility to this institution. If the government really cared about the future of the ABC, and about viewers and listeners across the country, it would fund it properly and stop the cruel cuts. But, of course, it's unsurprising that the Morrison government neglects our ABC. They continue to attack the vital services that Australians depend on. They just don't understand what's important to Australians. They're too busy focusing on themselves and covering up for scandal after scandal.

We see that in the Community Sport Infrastructure grant program and how it's been corrupted and used as pork-barrelling in marginal seats. Meanwhile, in my electorate of Jagajaga, the Greensborough Hockey Club misses out on $500,000 worth of funding, despite being rated as highly deserving by Sport Australia. The mums, dads and kids at that club have worked hard for the extra support for the facilities they need to play well and they're not being supported by this government. In fact, they've been passed over purely for political reasons. What a disgrace! If that wasn't bad enough, the Prime Minister has used the top public servant in this country to cover the scandal by issuing a report that clears his office of any wrongdoing. When asked to give details of that report to show how he's been cleared, the Prime Minister refused. He's consistently refusing to be accountable for what's happened and to show us the report that he says justifies his actions. If you've got nothing to hide, why not show us this report? Be upfront with the Australian people; show them that this is all above board.

That's not the only piece of advice the government has been trying to hide. Last week we were again made aware of how dodgy the government's robodebt scandal truly is. Internal emails prove that the scheme is, in fact, illegal and that the government knew this. When did they know? How long were they unfairly and unjustly and illegally targeting vulnerable people with debts that shouldn't have existed?

We've seen, through the bushfire crisis this summer, the Prime Minister is not the leader he pretends to be. He's loose with the truth, selective with facts and not up to the job. Australians want a leader who will put national interests first. Instead, we have a marketing guy without a plan and a scandal riddled government putting themselves first.