Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Coonan, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. Has the minister seen reports that senior government figures are concerned that Bastard Boys, a drama series being produced by the ABC on the 1998 waterfront dispute, will display a pro-union bias? Does the minister agree with her colleague Senator Fierravanti-Wells that Bastard Boys is part of ‘an anti-government, pro-left agenda at the ABC’? Given that the series is still being filmed, is the minister aware of any evidence whatsoever to suggest that this program will be biased in any way? Isn’t Senator Fierravanti-Wells just trying to enforce her own prejudices in flagrant disregard for the ABC charter? When will the minister defend the independence of our—that is, all of us—ABC against ill-informed attacks by her Liberal Party colleagues?

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

I thank Senator Moore for the question, in which she wrapped up many allegations and assumptions with which I do not agree. What I can tell the Senate is that the coalition government is committed to working with the national broadcasters—and by that I mean both national broadcasters—to ensure that they continue to deliver effective and high-quality services to the Australian community in accordance with both their legislative and their charter obligations. As an integral part of this service, there is an obligation, of course, to all viewers. And, as the government, we remain committed to ensuring that there is both a robust and an independent process for handling complaints about the national broadcasters.

I have to compliment Senator Fierravanti-Wells and—prior to Senator Fierravanti-Wells taking a particular interest in these issues—Senator Santoro for having ensured—

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Corporate Governance and Responsibility) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Condemning a program she hasn’t seen.

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

Order, Senator Wong!

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

that the national broadcaster’s complaints handling process works appropriately. They are quite right to bring to the attention of the ABC issues that they perceive as being biased and otherwise not delivering on the ABC’s charter. Both the ABC and, in fact, the SBS—because I think it is important that we deal with both for the purposes of Senator Moore’s question—introduced changes during 2005 to improve their internal complaints handling processes. These changes are in fact welcome changes and are continually monitored by the government. The Howard government is further committed to expanding the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s capacity to consider complaints about both national broadcasters in relation to specific cases of bias, lack of balance, inaccuracy or unfair treatment in respect of ABC and SBS broadcasts or publications. This process and the enhanced capacity of ACMA to deal with these issues will assist in providing a more complete, streamlined and responsive complaints handling process in respect of the ABC and SBS.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Conroy interjecting—

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

Senator Conroy!

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

I note, seeing Senator Moore raised this matter, that Labor indicated in its election broadcasting policy that it supported strengthening the complaints handling mechanisms for the national broadcasters, so it is a surprise that somehow Senator Moore thinks that the process is subverted and that it does not otherwise work appropriately. I hope, when the time comes, that the opposition does not dump this policy along with just about everything else they ever espoused and took to the last election.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order going to relevance. This was a very specific question about Senator Fierravanti-Wells attacking a program that they have not even finished making and an antigovernment pro-left agenda at the ABC. The question is very specific; it has got nothing to do with ACMA. Could you ask the minister to go back to the question.

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

I hear your point of order and I remind the minister of the question. She has a minute to complete her answer.

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

I can understand how Senator Conroy with his poor grasp of these issues does not appreciate that Senator Moore’s question raises the complaints handling processes and the bias handling processes for allegations in the ABC. If somebody has a complaint, this is precisely the process that enables them to take that complaint forward.

When the opposition ask a broad-ranging question, I believe in putting it in context and dealing with the question in the most appropriate way. Having outlined the process, I believe it deals fairly and squarely with Senator Moore’s question even though her question has rolled up allegations that I have not yet dealt with. If she asks a supplementary, I might have a go at that too.

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question—I will have a go at bringing the minister back to the question. Can the minister confirm that the Maritime Union won the waterfront case in the High Court and that the government incurred more than $700,000 in legal costs? Does the minister accept that an accurate history of the waterfront dispute must and should reflect the fact that the union position was vindicated by that court? Will the minister tell her colleagues that the ABC cannot be asked to rewrite history just because the government is feeling political heat over its extreme industrial relations changes?

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

Thank you to Senator Moore for the supplementary. The answer to her question is no.