Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Ludlam for his question but, I must say, even by his own standards that question is really below his usually rhetorical flourishes.

Let me perhaps address the actual question. I am not going to, for one second, take remotely seriously Senator Ludlam's proposition that Mr Murdoch actually controls policy in relation to the ABC. I am giving Senator Ludlam the benefit of the doubt that no-one in this chamber was intended to take that as a serious proposition. I will instead move to the other matter, which is that the Secretary to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has responsibility for the issue in relation to positions on the nomination panel for the ABC board positions.