Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. Can the minister confirm that Adelaide's ABC production studios will be shut and that about 150 South Australians will lose their jobs because Mr Abbott has broken his pre-election promise that there would be no cuts to the ABC?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I indicated in my answer to Senator Urquhart, these matters are for the ABC board and managing director to determine. I made some comments in relation to the question asked by Senator Urquhart inviting ABC management to have a look at areas other than regional areas. I am delighted to inform the honourable senator that a former Labor premier of South Australia and ABC board member from 1994 to 1999 said:

Instead of looking at what can be cut “out there” and brought back to Sydney Central, it should be looking the other way. What can be outsourced to regional offices with capacity, more efficiently, cheaply and with real commitment to local production and capacity?

Instead of looking at what can be cut “out there” and brought back to Sydney Central, it should be looking the other way. What can be outsourced to regional offices with capacity, more efficiently, cheaply and with real commitment to local production and capacity?

We endorse the views of the former Labor Premier of Senator Wong's home state of South Australia in relation to his approach to the ABC when he was a member of the ABC Board.

I am very comforted by the fact that the comments I made just a few moments ago were in fact echoing those views of a former Labor Premier of South Australia—Senator Wong's own home state. Instead of running this scare campaign from Gladstone to Adelaide—and, undoubtedly, Hobart will come up and all sorts of places—we suggest the ABC and the Labor Party should follow the advice of that former Labor Premier, Mr Bannon, and have a look at central headquarters in Ultimo rather than in regional centres.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question: can the minister further confirm that 7.30 SA and other state based 7.30 Reports around Australia will be axed alongside local sports coverage, because this Prime Minister broke his election promise that there would be no cuts to the ABC?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yet again, I remind Senator Wong of the answer that I gave previously to Senator Urquhart and to Senator Wong: these are matters for ABC management to decide for themselves.

I note that, rather than complaining, there are some proactive members on our side of politics, like the member for Sturt, who has started a petition asking people to preserve The 7.30 Report in South Australia. I would invite Senator Wong to sign it and join us, along with Mr John Bannon, to invite the ABC to make the cuts in Ultimo, rather than in regional centres right around the nation.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question: has the minister signed Mr Pyne's petition criticising the government's ABC cuts in South Australia or does he know that this is just lip-service by a desperate cabinet minister who cannot or will not stand up for his own state in the cabinet room? Minister, is Mr Pyne a hypocrite or just ineffective?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The good news is that Mr Pyne is neither. He is superbly effective, and that is why the Labor Party dislike him. The reason is that he is so consistent is the reason why he continually gets re-elected in the seat of Sturt time and time again, despite the bucketloads of union money that the Australian Labor Party throw at him each and every election. He continually gets re-elected, because he is seen by his electorate not as a hypocrite but as a very effective local member.

What I can say to Senator Wong is that Mr Pyne is looking after his electorate and has joined with Mr John Bannon, a former Labor Premier, myself and others to ask the ABC to recognise what is in their charter, look after the regional areas and see whether savings can actually be made in Ultimo. (Time expired)