Malcolm Turnbull is circling the ABC again with reports that he is preparing the ground for the third cut to the ABC budget since the Liberal Party was elected on a promise of “no cuts to the ABC”.
On the night before the 2013 Federal Election, the then Prime Minister promised:
“No cuts to education, no cuts to health, no change to pensions, no change to the GST and no cuts to the ABC or SBS.”
The ABC is currently negotiating their next triennial funding agreement and it is being reported that Malcolm Turnbull is considering cutting $60 million worth of news and investigative reporting that was announced by the Labor Government in 2013.
ABC Managing Director Mark Scott told the National Press Club today that:
“That news funding represents 10 per cent of the ABC’s news budget and to cut it now will mean significant cuts to jobs and programming.
“If it was not renewed, it would represent the third substantial cut to the ABC’s budget since the Coalition government was elected on a platform not to cut the budget.”
If Malcolm Turnbull cuts the ABC again, for the third time in just three years, voters will hold him to account for this trifecta of lies.
WEDNESDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 2016
MEDIA CONTACT: RYAN HAMILTON 02 9790 2466
