Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

In rising to speak in this debate, I also take note of answers given to my question today. My question was about the production of a new drama program and public statements that were linked to one of the government senators. I then went on to particular questions about the role in history that the particular drama program was covering. I thanked the minister for her responses. In fact, in her first round of responses, which did not refer to the program—nor to any parts of the question I asked—she raised a very strong defence of the independence of the ABC and the grievance and complaint handling mechanisms currently in place in the ABC, which are intended to be strengthened.

Indeed, in a way we have all acknowledged that the ABC belongs to all of us, to our community, and we remind the government that the ABC has never been—and was never intended to be—a government broadcaster. It is a national broadcaster. We know, from years of Senate estimates questions, from years of questions in this place and from years of comments made throughout the community, that no organisation is subject to more scrutiny, more questions or more allegations than the ABC.