Page 4178 - Week 13 - Thursday, 27 November 2014
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This decision is not an efficiency dividend. It is a broken promise. Forcing a large organisation to shed 10 per cent of its workforce—about 400 jobs—is a deep and damaging cut. Those who advocate it should at least face up and be honest about that. Unfortunately, as you examine the detail of where these cuts will bite, you see the undermining of the public good I have mentioned. In total, 10 per cent of the ABC news division is expected to go, and local news bulletins will be shorter, giving Canberrans less opportunity to understand what is happening in their city and the issues that affect them.
Lateline has reported that regional and state audiences will be hardest hit, as well as radio and local sport. We know what some of the local impacts will be. Eight jobs are expected to go from the local ABC operations here in Canberra. We will see the end of 7.30 ACT and the important local community content, including political content, that it provides. The expected cuts to the broadcasting of women’s sport such as the WNBL and W-League will see important women role models being taken off the television and will deny young girls and boys the exposure they should have to elite women’s sport. The cuts dilute the ABC’s ability to provide scrutiny of important political and other institutions.
All of these things work against the interests of a robust democracy. They reduce the capacity of the ABC, particularly local radio, to step up as the rallying point for the community during natural disasters or in other times of need. The decision also continues the disturbing way of doing business which has come to epitomise the current federal government. It was the theme of this year’s budget and it is on display again now with the ABC and SBS.
There could have been a different way. But, instead of a process of change which engages the community, gives workers a chance to plan and explains the rationale, these cuts were announced, backed up by a secret report, and the workers in the community are left to pick up the pieces. The same goes, of course, for the public service cuts that are already putting great pressure on the local Canberra economy and many local families.
What is particularly disappointing is that the Canberra Liberals had a choice on this issue. They could have backed up their rhetoric with action and said that they were going to stand up for the local community and the local community public broadcasting that is delivered by the ABC right here in Canberra. They should know better than most how important the ABC is to local political debate and to informing the local community about their political perspectives, as much as it is about reporting on what the government or the crossbench are doing. But they have squelched that. They have squibbed the test and instead have decided to side with their cronies, Tony Abbott et al, up in the federal parliament. They really are apologists—apologists for Tony Abbott’s broken promise and apologists for an attack on local public broadcasting here in Canberra.
Let us be clear: this motion is not about stepping in on a federal agenda. It is about stepping up to represent the views of our community, and I think all members should give it their support.
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