Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

In February this year, the Prime Minister finally told the truth. He finally told the truth—he admitted it. He even boasted that this was a broken promise. So even the Prime Minister gave it up in February, but you still keep batting on over there, Senator O'Sullivan. This is what the Prime Minister said:

… we have broken that. And frankly, it is just as well we did …

So he switched from saying there would be no cuts to the ABC and SBS to saying:

… we've broken that. And frankly, it's just as well we did …

This is talking about cuts to the SBS which he claimed would not happen. He then boasts that he is glad that he did it and that he is glad that he broke the promise. Not only did the Prime Minister break his promise not to cut SBS's budget but he was proud of it, and now SBS viewers are being asked to pay the price for another broken promise by Mr Abbott.

SBS has an important role to play in Australian society. It provides an outlet for multicultural programming, news and content that showcases Australia's ethnic diversity. If this bill is passed, the scales will be tipped too far in favour of profit over the public benefit. This place should not become complicit in allowing SBS to be turned into another commercial broadcaster. The solution is simple. The Prime Minister promised on the election eve that there would be no cuts to the SBS. Everybody in this chamber on that side was elected on the promise. You should keep that promise. You should not break trust. You should vote against this legislation, and I urge you to do so.