Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister Representing the Minister for Communications, Senator Fifield. One day before last year's federal election then opposition leader Tony Abbott said that, 'There would be no cuts to the ABC or SBS.' Since then we have seen the $220 million cancellation of the Australia Network contract, the efficiency review on the ABC and SBS, leading to the so-called 'down-payment budget cuts' and now it looks as though 80 jobs will be going from the ABC. Minister, will you now acknowledge that Mr Abbott's pre-election commitment was a flat-out lie or would the minister instead prefer to read some irrelevant and monotonous talking points to take up the two minutes he has been allocated.