Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Acting Deputy President. I am coming to the nub of what this report is, and Senator Fierravanti-Wells summed it up when she said it is about the charter for the ABC. I can understand why those on the other side champion the ABC, because more often than not their perspective is portrayed in a favourable light. But we have seen those rare occasions on the ABC where they have investigated some of the haplessness and failings of the Labor Party. Senator Farrell claimed that because he saw it on TV it is relevant to this report, but I will not go down that grubby path. But I would like to raise a couple of truly serious issues. Firstly, I would like to know why the ABC pulled the only documentary that provided an insight into the Rudd Labor government. Why is The Hollow Men no longer on television? This is absolutely important. Perhaps, just perhaps, one of the powerbrokers, Senator Arbib or maybe Senator Cameron, did not like the caricatures of themselves given how they saw themselves in operation. Perhaps that was the case. I do not know how much influence they have there, but I know that, as they plot against Mr Rudd, in order to install Julia Gillard as the Prime Minister, they are desperately scrambling for chairs as it all falls apart around them. In the 2½ minutes that I have left, I would like to raise two further issues about the requirement for balanced, fair and unbiased presentations. I quite like the ABC and I watch it quite a lot.