James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

The ABC are a bunch of sanctimonious hypocrites who are protected by this mob over here, who are running a protection racket with the Greens to stop examination of them!

I want to talk about the complaint-handing process. I want to mention someone who served our country with valour, good Heston Russell. Heston Russell has issues with the ABC. The ABC has treated him and his fellow veterans in an appalling manner. Heston Russell has written to the ABC and has got very poor responses from the ABC. Mr Russell has indeed said that he has asked for a live interview with the ABC to go through the issues because he distrusts the ABC so much. Sadly, Mr Russell informed me moments ago he hasn't even had a response from the ABC. And yet they're doing a review into their complaint-handling process!

This is an ABC who didn't want their review into the 2019 election; we had a vote of this Senate to have that document released. The ABC are hiding from the Australian people. It is time for there to be a royal commission into public broadcasting in this country to ensure that the ABC charter is fit for purpose, because, under Ita Buttrose, the ABC is another country—but it is not Australia. It is time that the taxpayers got value for money. It is time for the ABC to stand up for mainstream Australia.