Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

While Labor supports this position, we want to put on the record that Labor believes the ABC is one of Australia's most important public institutions. We believe that the ABC plays a very important role in adding to the diversity of news in our media landscape and providing an opportunity for Australian content to be shown and heard. The ABC also plays a vital role in our regional and remote communities by providing news, public announcements and emergency messages. Labor supports the Greens' motion on the basis that it expresses Labor's sentiment and record on the ABC.

In government, Labor implemented measures to ensure the institutional independence of our public broadcasters and their governing boards. Labor also provided additional funding that helped establish a dedicated digital children's channel and found efficiencies in the ABC that helped fund ABC News 24 and ABC online. This is in stark contrast to Mr Turnbull who, as a former communications minister, savagely cut more than $250 million from the public broadcaster in the horror 2014 budget. Most recently, the 2016 budget, in the hands of Mr Turnbull, has cut $48.6 million. (Time expired).