Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

Thanks, Senator Lambie. I don't agree that the way the government is approaching this will result in that outcome. As I've said a couple of times now, we absolutely share your desire for the average Australian to be able to watch sporting events of national significance on free-to-air TV. It's not something that should be discriminated against on the basis of your wealth. We understand there is a role for pay TV in the media environment, but there are certain events that should be preserved for free-to-air TV. So, as I said, the bill that's before the parliament is designed to address a gap under the current scheme through which Netflix, Amazon and other online entities could acquire exclusive rights to events without a free-to-air broadcaster having any rights. That change will enhance the ability of free-to-air television broadcasters to acquire the rights to some iconic events, noting that, where free-to-air broadcasters acquire the television rights to such events, they typically also acquire the rights for their own streaming services.