Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday was a sad day for journalism in Australia. After 85 years of providing newswire, subediting and photography services to media companies and consumers across our nation, the Australian Associated Press, AAP, has shut its doors for good. As the Leader of the Labor Party said yesterday, this is a tragedy for our media diversity and democracy. The Australian public will be less informed as a result of this decision, and I think that is a great tragedy. It's with the greatest respect to all news desks that I say this: the AAP has been everywhere. No politician was ever safe. Every time you stuck your head up, no matter what the platform was, the AAP would be listening. We need more voices in the public debate, not less, so losing 180 journalists will leave a silence that will be difficult to fill.

In the time I have left, I'd like to acknowledge the work done by the successive AAP correspondents who have been based in the Northern Territory, and in particular the current correspondent, Greg Robertson. Greg has spent 12 years of his 19-year journalism career with AAP. Greg, thanks for your commitment over the last two decades to journalism in our nation, particularly your work with the AAP. I hope you stay in the NT. I spoke on Monday about proper funding of the ABC, and AAP's demise makes it even more important that we fund the ABC. (Time expired)