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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 7 Hansard (25 June) . . Page.. 2064 ..

Mr Humphries: There is not much left.

MRS CARNELL: There is not terribly much left, as Mr Humphries says. I cannot really see them shooting Order in the House from Sydney; let us be fair. Mr Corbell indicated that we could see further relocation to Sydney. Relocation or centralisation of services has been happening over a number of years. But the fact is that centralisation, that movement of services out of Canberra, happened under the previous Labor Government; it has not happened under this Liberal Government. The motion should have been on the agenda when those opposite were sitting on this side of the house and there was a Federal Labor government. That is the reality of this situation.

We have been lobbying for a very long time, and will continue to do so, to maintain regional services for the ABC. Mr Humphries will be bringing forward an amendment to broaden this motion to make sure that all of those who have cut ABC services to the ACT are similarly condemned. I think when we make these points we have to be serious. The reality here, I say again, is that it was not this current coalition Government, as much as they have cut funds to the ABC, which we have lobbied against, that moved our television station and cut the 2CN night-time service; it was the previous Labor Government. The fact is they cannot cut the services at the Federal Parliament; they have to shoot Order in the House and all of those sorts of things from here in Canberra.

The reality here, Mr Speaker, is that those opposite are playing politics; that is all they are doing here. If they really believed what they were saying we would have seen a similar motion on the table when the Federal Labor Government did significantly worse damage to the ABC in the ACT. But did we hear one peep out of them then? It was Mr Humphries that went to Sydney to lobby on behalf of 2CN. It was the Opposition then that was saying, "This is not good enough. We do not believe ABC services out of Canberra should be cut. We do believe the national capital should have a local ABC news service" - and it should. It was we that did that - not those opposite, even when they were in government. What we are seeing here is absolutely straight political opportunism. They are wasting their own private members time.

Mr Corbell: Do you think it is a waste of time to defend the ABC, Chief Minister?

MRS CARNELL: I think it is a waste of time for this Assembly to pass a motion condemning the Federal Government, I have to say. I have to tell you that, much as I would like to think that a motion passed in this place condemning the Federal Government for a cut would make a difference, this is not going to make a huge difference to Senator Alston. I am sure he is up there shaking in his shoes right now! The reality is that it is not going to make a difference.

What does make a difference is bringing these issues up at leaders forums so that all of the Premiers in this country can be lobbying together. That is what we have already done. What makes a difference is going to Sydney and seeing the management of the ABC and putting Canberra's position, as Mr Humphries did. That is what makes a difference -

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