Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for one minute.

I join with my colleagues on this, and I am sure I speak for all Tasmanian senators in the chamber—but not just Tasmanian senators; I acknowledge the fact that the minister, Senator Conroy, has asked the ABC to reconsider this position as well. I am also reminded by my colleague Senator Ludlam that, while there are resources being taken out of Tasmania at the moment with the loss of 17 jobs, it is also happening to other regional centres around Australia. We have ended up with only a couple of other locations in Australia outside Sydney and Melbourne where ABC production continues. I just want to indicate that the Greens are going to be doing everything we can to have this reversed. We have spent money with Screen Tasmania on the Goodwood facility; we have a perfect production facility in Tasmania that will be underutilised, and in the age of digital content we need the production facility in Tasmania.

Question agreed to.