2021-11-14
Greens Spokesperson for Media and Deputy Chair of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee Senator Sarah Hanson-Young commented on the establishment of a Senate Inquiry into the ABC by the government-controlled Legislation Committee:
"This is a partisan attempt to use the Legislation Committee to undermine the independence of the public broadcaster.
"Establishing this inquiry is an abuse of process and power and the Greens will be moving to stop it when the senate resumes in a week.
"The Morrison Government has attacked the ABC relentlessly for eight years now, this is just another one of their witch hunts.
"An independent review of the ABC’s complaints system is underway and a senate inquiry running in parallel was always going to be inappropriate. It is nothing more than political interference by the Morrison Government.
"Australians know it is not the ABC that can’t be trusted, it’s Scott Morrison and the government he leads. The Greens will defend the independence of our ABC which has been more important than ever over the last two years of bushfires, floods and the covid pandemic.
"Independence of our public broadcaster is an essential part of our Australian democracy. It shouldn’t be up to politicians to dictate what the ABC can and cannot report on."