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

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Communications, Senator Watt. Yesterday we saw the shocking decision that over 100 jobs will be cut from the ABC. I want to express my support for all the staff and their families who got this pretty shocking news yesterday. Not only will talented staff lose their jobs; taxpayers will lose important news and public interest journalism. There will be cuts to local TV news bulletins on Sundays, right across states and territories. There'll be cuts to the arts and culture reporting. There's even the cutting of the political editor here in Parliament House. A cut to the ABC is a cut to the Australian people and their right to news. In an age of Murdoch media misinformation, why won't the Labor government work with the Greens and commit to fully funding the ABC and reversing all of those coalition-era cuts?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Hanson-Young. Like everyone, at least on this side of the chamber, I am a very strong supporter of the ABC. I should actually disclose that I am the patron of the friends of the ABC in Queensland. So I've got a very personal interest in supporting that as well, and I catch up with them at least once a year to declare my support. I might say that the thing that, over the last two or three years, the Queensland branch of the friends of the ABC used to enjoy most when I went to their AGMs was me making sure that they knew that the Albanese government was going to reverse the former coalition government's funding cuts to the ABC, which we did.

But, Senator Hanson-Young, this is obviously a very difficult time for any individual whose role may be impacted by the changes that were announced yesterday. The fact is, though, that the ABC does have operational independence and it is a matter for ABC management to determine how to structure the organisation within their funding envelope to meet the changing needs of audiences. The ABC, like many media organisations, faces significant challenges in today's media environment, with new technologies changing how their work is conducted, while still delivering on their legislated obligations.

Minister Rowland has requested a briefing from ABC management with regard to the ABC Five-Year Plan and the announcement that was made this week. Over the ABC's five-year funding term under the Albanese government, the ABC will receive $6 billion in funding. The ABC remains 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. I think all of us have an interest—or at least half of the room has an interest—in a strong ABC, and we continue to support it. That's exactly why we took the budgetary decisions that we did. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson-Young, a first supplementary?

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

The ABC is consistently rated the most trusted news organisation in the country. Yesterday's cuts to the ABC include cuts to local news bulletins, 7.30, Australian Story, Four Corners and the investigations teams. This will weaken public-interest journalism. Minister, you've just said that the government would reverse those cuts, but you haven't, have you?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Albanese government did deliver on its commitment to reverse the coalition's cuts to funding, and I invite you to have a look at the budget papers, which make that very clear. In fact, I suspect that this issue was traversed, including by you, at Senate estimates committees, where it was made very clear that the Albanese government has reversed the coalition-era cuts that did really impact on the ABC. We wanted to see that restored.

But what was obviously announced yesterday was a decision of ABC management to restructure its operations and to move resources from one area to another to keep pace with changes in the media environment and audience needs and expectations. But, as I said, Minister Rowland has requested a briefing from ABC management with regard to the ABC Five-Year Plan and the announcement this week.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There are a lot of people piping up from that little section over there who like to say they support the ABC. I wonder why they supported all those budget cuts to the ABC when they were in government.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson-Young, a second supplementary?

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

For the record, the government has not reversed all of the cuts, and they should. The ABC Charter requires the ABC to 'encourage and promote the musical, dramatic and other performing arts in Australia'. Yesterday's decision includes cuts to the arts and culture reporting. What will the government do to ensure that the ABC is in full obligation of its charter?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You're right, Senator Hanson-Young: the ABC does play a very important role in the cultural life and promotion of the arts within this country. I would certainly hope that, following the changes that have been made by ABC management, that continues to be a strong focus of the ABC. Obviously, they have made some decisions about how resources will be allocated, what units will be established and what units will be changed, and those decisions were made by ABC management. But I would expect, and I'm sure Minister Rowland would expect, that ABC management would continue to uphold its obligations under the ABC Charter. But the fact is that the Albanese government has delivered on our commitment to restore many of the cuts that were made by the coalition government. Those cuts did damage the ABC. We were very proud to commit to the restoration of that funding. That's exactly what has been delivered, and we continue to support a very strong ABC going forward.