Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to take note of this pathetic explanation as well, and I thank Senator Lambie for putting forward this request for information and for her passion in relation to this issue. Before the last election, we were promised that the Labor Party would do everything they could to make sure Australian stories were protected on our screens. We were promised that we would have quotas in place on these online streaming services so that Australians can watch Australian-made content, so that Australian kids can log on and see Australian-made shows and so that parents know, when they put their kids in front of a device—when their kids are nagging for the iPad, Netflix or the app to watch their favourite show—they can put their kids in front of something that has an Australian accent. Over and over and over again, our screen industry has been dudded by this government.

First of all, it happened under the previous government. They did nothing to help the Australian screen industry. Many small businesses right around the country—who employ hundreds of thousands of people and put hundreds of millions of dollars into our local communities—are now being screwed over by the big global tech companies who are flooding our devices, our screens and our airways with overseas content. This content is often made very cheaply—cheap and nasty—at the expense of Australian stories.

A big part of what makes us a great country is that we share our experiences with one another. We celebrate what's great about our nation. We celebrate our differences, which helps us to understand each other. It helps with social cohesion. It helps with national pride. It helps with overcoming crises and difficulties. Storytelling is the glue that makes this country great. Storytelling is the glue that allows us, as a community, to understand each other, to back each other, to be proud of being Australian, to be proud of who we are as a nation and to be proud of our diversity and unity. But that storytelling power cannot be taken for granted. Our storytellers, our creative workers and our artists need to be supported. It's not just good for the economy; it's good for the soul of our nation.

When the big US tech companies like Netflix and Amazon want to flood our airways and devices with American content at the expense of Australian-made stories, we should be really worried. The government promised to do what needed to be done to regulate streaming services to make sure Australian content would be looked after, supported and funded. Because the big tech companies didn't like it, they've now backed away. This is a broken promise from the Labor government on the eve of the election—a well and truly broken promise. I have had many conversations with ministers in both these houses about this issue over the last three years. Increasingly, I have become concerned that, rather than doing what they promised to do, they are back-pedalling and bowing to the pressure of the big US tech companies. Netflix doesn't want this. Amazon doesn't want this. Apple TV doesn't want this.

It is now the eve of the election. These might be the very last couple of hours we have in this place before the election, and we have nothing to show from the government on this issue. It's disgusting. Don't make promises you can't keep. Don't make promises you can't keep, and stand up for Australian stories, because Australians will punish you if you don't. (Time expired)