Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to take note of answers given by Senator Coonan, the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. I wish to focus on the issue of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. May I say at the outset that I welcome the announcement that has been made today and I am aware that the ABC will be releasing its revised editorial policies which I understand will come into effect on 1 March 2007. As the minister said, whilst the reports on these revised editorial policies are just general accounts that we have seen in the press, I understand that they have been revised following extensive consultation with ABC staff, managers and the board.

Comments have also been made about alleged knowledge of this government—in particular, the minister—about the contents of these revised editorial policies. Can I remind the Senate that this has been an issue in relation to the ABC and its lack of adherence to unbiased and balanced reporting, and it comes particularly through the work that has been done in Senate estimates. I particularly mention the work that Senator Santoro has done in estimates in raising issues relating to bias and unbalanced reporting in the ABC and also the work that Senator Ronaldson and I have been doing since earlier this year in raising with the ABC clear instances where the ABC has failed to adhere to the provisions of its charter.

I remind the Senate that the ABC’s charter is a very clear one, and its responsibility is to provide broadcasting services to all Australians in a balanced and unbiased manner. Sadly, the public broadcaster has failed on many occasions in this regard, and therefore I think it is important that its editorial policies have been revised. I hope that there has been substantial revision of the ABC’s policies to make clear the issues that are important, particularly in providing broadcasting services for the benefit of all Australians and not just for the benefit of a limited few with a particular left-wing leaning or left-wing bias. I understand the managing director will be briefing the staff today, and I look forward to hearing the address that he is making this evening.