David Smith (Bean, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for the Arts. Why is documentary an important method of revealing the true nature of Australian stories, and what happens if these stories are not told?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Like the member for Bean, I love a good documentary. We flagged this in our cultural policy, where we particularly talked about the national broadcaster.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Casey is warned.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On page 87 of the national cultural policy, it says:

The national broadcasters are the platforms through which audiences engage with some of our best comedy, drama, documentary and children's television.

Comedy, drama, documentary and children's television: Nemesis gave us all four!

I don't want to be interrupted by the star of the show.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Leader of the House will pause, and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition will have a real point of order—not a statement, not a joke, not a comment; if she does, there'll be consequences. Out of respect for her office, I give the Deputy Leader of the Opposition the call.

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the basis that this is rubbish, I move:

That the member be no longer heard.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the minister be no longer heard.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was saying, the true nature of Australian stories needs to be told. We saw with Nemesis, in only the first two episodes that we've had so far, that when they say what they're like in terms of taxes, we saw the first thing they did when they got into office was put taxes up and flatline wages. We saw, when they talk about the concerns about industrial action, we were reminded that when they didn't like Malcolm Turnbull they went on strike and shut down the entire parliament because they didn't like their boss. We then saw, with all the complaints we watched last night about the ABC from the Leader of the Opposition, that it's actually the one network that has provided a program where no-one other than members the Liberal and National parties is heard. No-one else says a word, and it's the most devastating thing for the Liberal and National brand you could ever see.

I know there are three episodes, but I think we're hoping for a fourth. I know there was Star Wars:Episode IVA New Hope. This could be episode four: 'Thug', where we get to see the reality of what's said versus what happens. Last night, the Leader of the Opposition said, 'We are more united than ever in the Liberal Party. Nobody is looking backwards.' And he's right, because, except for the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, the member for Riverina, the member for New England, the member for Hume, the member for Petrie, the member for Canning, the member for McPherson, the member for Leichhardt, the member for Deakin, Senator Cash, Senator Reynolds, Senator Birmingham and Senator McGrath—except for them—no-one is looking backwards at all! Not one! Absolutely none of them!

The Leader of the Opposition also said they're a united party—a united party that, since the election, is four members smaller, in terms of losing the former member for Aston; the member for Calare, who went to the crossbench; the member for Monash and Senator Van. Six frontbenchers have gone, two of whom he doesn't have the courage to replace. But it ended with a cliffhanger. Episode 2 had the cliffhanger: he's going to smile more! And we all know how that ended!

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On that note, Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.