Dana Wortley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Coonan, the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. I refer the minister to comments by the Prime Minister that he was prepared to examine advertising on the ABC, and her own remarks that advertising was a matter for the ABC board. Can the minister confirm that at the last election the government promised to maintain the current ABC Act prohibitions on advertising and sponsorship? Will the minister advise the Senate whether the government intends to keep its election promise, or is the minister going to send the ABC down the American road where public broadcasters have to beg for corporate sponsorship to remain viable?

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senators on my right! Senator Kemp, come to order!

Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you to Senator Wortley for the question. The question is based on a completely false premise that I have ever endorsed or ever had a proposal for advertising on the ABC or have ever raised the issue of advertising on the ABC. What I did was respond to a question from a journalist in which I said that sometime down the track it might be a matter for the board to raise the issue of ABC advertising. I made it very clear in that interview, I think, or certainly in a subsequent one, that the ABC has just had its triennial funding looked at and that takes any suggestion of how it funds itself out of the question up until at least 2009. Clearly, in the circumstances, advertising is not even permitted under its current charter. So those who got out the egg-beater and whipped up something that was non-existent can put it away again. There is no immediate prospect of advertising on the ABC, and that at least goes up to 2009. Even if there were to be any consideration of advertising, you would have to change the charter of the ABC to consider it. You would also need to have regard to the proper interests of commercial broadcasters, who obviously advertise, and that is a critical issue.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I gather from the moans opposite that the ALP must support advertising on the ABC. This government does not. We do not support advertising on the ABC and, indeed, we have not actually proposed it.

Dana Wortley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Is the minister aware of comments by her colleague Senator Humphries that the ABC needs advertising revenue to restore services in regional Australia? Did the minister also agree with Senator Humphries when he said:

We can sit back and wait for the wonderful day when money comes from government but it is unlikely to happen in significant quantities into the future.

Can the minister explain why the government has starved the ABC of the funds that it needs to fulfil its charter? When will the government end its ideological obsession with destroying the ABC and restore adequate funding?

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, senators on my right! Order! Senator Kemp, come to order!

Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, I can always explain government policy to do with any matters in my portfolio. I can say unequivocally that ABC funding has been maintained in real terms for the whole of the time that this government has been responsible for the funding in the ABC and we will continue to honour our election commitments to properly fund the ABC. We have just done the triennial funding and we have just had a proper review of adequacy. Senator Wortley should really try to get herself informed before she starts making ridiculous allegations that she cannot substantiate.