Sue Lines (President) Share this | Hansard source

I will now deal with the second reading amendment circulated by One Nation. The question is that the amendment on sheet 2343 be agreed to.

Pauline Hanson's One Nation's circulated amendment—

At the end of the motion, add ", but the Senate:

(a) notes that fair and balanced reporting of news by journalists is crucial to supporting democracy and ensuring that Australians can participate properly in citizenship; and

(b) calls on the Government to introduce a requirement:

(i) that all free-to-air broadcasters provide impartial, fair and balanced reporting of all news and current affairs, and

(ii) that the SBS and ABC (other than SBS and ABC radio) become subscription-based services, whereby Australian consumers pay an optional small annual licensing fee to access content, with the result of cessation of public funding".