Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

As I indicated in my answer to Senator Urquhart, these matters are for the ABC board and managing director to determine. I made some comments in relation to the question asked by Senator Urquhart inviting ABC management to have a look at areas other than regional areas. I am delighted to inform the honourable senator that a former Labor premier of South Australia and ABC board member from 1994 to 1999 said:

Instead of looking at what can be cut “out there” and brought back to Sydney Central, it should be looking the other way. What can be outsourced to regional offices with capacity, more efficiently, cheaply and with real commitment to local production and capacity?

Instead of looking at what can be cut “out there” and brought back to Sydney Central, it should be looking the other way. What can be outsourced to regional offices with capacity, more efficiently, cheaply and with real commitment to local production and capacity?

We endorse the views of the former Labor Premier of Senator Wong's home state of South Australia in relation to his approach to the ABC when he was a member of the ABC Board.

I am very comforted by the fact that the comments I made just a few moments ago were in fact echoing those views of a former Labor Premier of South Australia—Senator Wong's own home state. Instead of running this scare campaign from Gladstone to Adelaide—and, undoubtedly, Hobart will come up and all sorts of places—we suggest the ABC and the Labor Party should follow the advice of that former Labor Premier, Mr Bannon, and have a look at central headquarters in Ultimo rather than in regional centres.