Lisa Darmanin (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I can speak to this matter as well. I think in her supplementary answer Minister McAllister did directly go to some of the question that was asked by Senator Henderson. As Minister McAllister stated, the ABC has operational and editorial independence, which is extremely important. As has previously been mentioned, that independence is enshrined in the act, and it is an extremely important safeguard to ensure that the ABC's decisions are free from political interference.

The ABC is an important public institution. It provides free access for all Australians to independent news, and it's particularly important for regional communities—and Senator Green did touch on this—in times of emergency. We rely on the ABC, particularly people in the regions, for access to accurate, up-to-date information and to ensure they are safe in periods of emergency or natural disaster.

So we should continue to have confidence in the reporting by the ABC, but, as with any media organisation, the ABC doesn't always get it right. But the ABC is committed to continuous improvement, including through its complaint-handling process, and it does remain accountable to the parliament for its use of taxpayer funds through a range of accountability mechanisms, including annual reports, corporate plans, financial and performance audits and appearances before parliamentary committees, including Senate estimates, where the matter at hand, what Senator Ruston asked Minister McAllister about, has been canvassed. It does not mean that the ABC is above scrutiny. In fact, the legislation sets out that it is not above scrutiny. The ABC is accountable.

In terms of the specific matter of the defamation case that questions have been asked about today, the ABC's defence in the Russell defamation proceedings is a matter of public record, and I note that quite a bit of media reporting about it has emerged today. The ABC has previously answered questions on this matter at a Senate estimates committee, and I refer members to those proceedings.

In October 2023, the Federal Court handed down its decision in the defamation proceedings between Mr Heston Russell and the ABC and awarded damages and payment of legal costs to Mr Russell. It is important to note that the ABC, as an independent institution, is responsible for managing its own legal matters, including defamation claims and litigation. In relation to the program in question today, the ABC has removed the video and is further investigating the circumstances around how that audio occurred.

It's vitally important that we continue to support the ABC, support the ABC's independence, and understand that the ABC are investigating the circumstances of this matter and others and that they do remain accountable and subject to scrutiny where there are questions about their reporting. But also it is important to do this in a manner which is responsible and for those of us in this chamber to ask questions in a way that does not undermine the confidence of the public in our independent institution the ABC, to ensure that all Australians continue to have confidence in the reporting that's provided—that it is free, fair, unbiased and independent, because, as I said earlier, Australians rely on the ABC very much every day and they should continue to have confidence in its reporting.