Dana Wortley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Coonan, the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. I refer the minister to comments by the Prime Minister that he was prepared to examine advertising on the ABC, and her own remarks that advertising was a matter for the ABC board. Can the minister confirm that at the last election the government promised to maintain the current ABC Act prohibitions on advertising and sponsorship? Will the minister advise the Senate whether the government intends to keep its election promise, or is the minister going to send the ABC down the American road where public broadcasters have to beg for corporate sponsorship to remain viable?