Tom Elliot: The ABC workers who are on strike, do they have a case? I mean, they’ve been offered 10 per cent over three years. Should they get more?
Senator Henderson: Well, they have a choice and I think at a time, Tom, when Australia is grappling with this fuel crisis, when there are flood emergencies in parts of the country in the north, the war in Iran, the decision to go on strike is extremely disappointing. I’m not going to get caught up in the weeds in terms of the negotiations between ABC management and staff. I mean, that is a matter for the ABC, but they did make a decision to walk out yesterday. They are supported – the ABC receives more than $1.2 billion a year in taxpayer’s funding – and at a time when we really need our news and information, particularly in the regions, the ABC does play a crucial role in supporting Australians with news and information, this is a very disappointing decision.
Tom Elliot: Yes, I would agree with you and I agree the ABC does do a good job in the regions. I might add on this program that you’re now on, we’re now broadcast through stations all through Victoria, so there’s actually nowhere that we can’t be heard. So there are alternatives for people. The other thing is, of course, in a cost of living crisis, I mean, most of us don’t want to be donating as much money to Canberra as we currently do in the form of taxes. Do you think the ABC strikers understand the nexus between the money they get and the fact that real taxpayers who may or may not listen to or watch them are the ones actually paying for them?
Senator Henderson: Well, I’m not sure that they do. And I was particularly disappointed that a number of ABC presenters yesterday went on various news programs and pushed their case in a way which was, in fact, in breach of their editorial policy. So they were saying, look, ‘we want safe, secure, sustainable jobs so we can deliver the news and content that you deserve, but the ABC has fallen short of offering pay and conditions’. Not only I think is this tone deaf, given so many Australians are struggling, many Australians are wondering if they will even have a job, but it also is a very bad breach of the ABC statute and the editorial policies which require ABC reporters to report the news impartially and accurately. And this was a case where ABC news programs were hijacked by various news presenters. And the Minister for Communications should be stepping up and saying, ‘this is completely inappropriate’. This is effectively a breach of the statute which governs the ABC. This is a matter for government, we’ve heard nothing but silence from Anika Wells.
Tom Elliot: So the ABC is now run by a chap who used to be my ultimate boss here at 3AW. A man called, I think it’s Hugh Marks, he used to run channel Nine. Anyway do you think he’ll cave in and give them what they want?
Senator Henderson: Well, he hasn’t to date and I do make the point that while there is an offer of 10 per cent on the table over three years, some people within the ABC said ‘this is below inflation’. Well when you add the $1,000 bonus in year one, it’s actually an increase in year one of 4.4 per cent. So as I say, I think this is a really tone deaf decision. Not all ABC journalists have gone out on strike. I do want to make that point. Some were working through the strike yesterday in Canberra that I know of. But it is really disappointing at a time when Australians depend on our media channels for news information. And you make a very good point, there are lots of other options.
But we want to know when will the government commit to providing daily updates on petrol stations? What’s the plan to get fuel to Australians? What are the contingencies in place? I mean, farmers are desperate. So many Australians are just wondering what the hell is going on and what is the plan if supply is disrupted even more than now? And of course, if they turn to the ABC, they get nothing but the BBC, which won’t help and reruns of Hard Quiz. So really, the ABC must do much better than this, Tom.
Tom Elliot: Alright, thank you for your time. Sarah Henderson there, federal Shadow Communications spokesperson.