Mitch Fifield: “You keep coming back” to ABC
In his first interview since taking his portfolio, the new Communications Minister shows some love for ABC.
- Published by David Knox
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Newly-installed Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has distanced himself from 2008 comments floating the idea of privatising the ABC.
“I confess, I was about seven or eight years ago a frisky backbencher who sought to give a provocative speech,” he conceded.
“I’ve yet to come across a commonwealth agency that’s achieved administrative nirvana,” he told host Patricia Karvelas.
“But one thing is certain. As a government we will make sure that the ABC is well resourced to do the job that Australians want it to do.”
In his first interview since taking the portfolio, Fifield told Radio National negotiations were ongoing with the ABC on triennial funding.
On the Q & A boycott he said, “I think that was a pretty unique set of circumstances. As you’ll see, the government is engaging well with the ABC. We’re not being strangers.”
In an encouraging interview, he indicated a change from the Abbott government’s frosty attitude to the broadcaster.
“I think you can probably characterise how Australians see the ABC a bit like a long term relationship,” he continued.
“Sometimes you can’t get enough of it, sometimes you want nothing to do with it. Sometimes it drives you to distraction, but ultimately you keep coming back.”
Given the recent state of play, that has to be music to ABC’s ears.
You can hear the interview here.
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4 Responses
I wonder if he will be brave enough to tackle the 457 VISA problem which is rife in our production arena and put our local crews first ?
“Sometimes you can’t get enough of it, sometimes you want nothing to do with it. Sometimes it drives you to distraction, but ultimately you keep coming back.”
As already intimated below, I think that this characterises how the Liberal Party views the ABC, not most Australians.
While there are a few McCarthyists who ignore 25 years of reviews and see the ABC as a hotbed of communist propaganda, most Australians want the ABC to remain strong and independent of govt, no matter which party is in power.
Abbott fuelled a toxic relationship with the national broadcaster, encouraged and backed by the usual frothing-at-the-mouth right-wing ratbags. Now that he has been consigned to the bin of history, hopefully the Liberals can get back to focussing on the important job of running the country and leave the ABC to do its job without interference.
Compared to Britain and Canada, our National broadcaster is already treated with disdain and used as a political football. Mr Fitfield, ‘doing the job Australians want it (ABC) to do’ does not correlate with what ‘you and/or the Liberal Party want it (ABC) to do. Surveys have consistently by a wide stretch demanded that political parties not interfere with the ABCs independence, and for that matter ongoing existence. I do hope that astonishingly foolish comment about privatising the ABC (and SBS) was just political fun.
Leave the ABC alone and finance it to produce the quality programs only it, BBC (England) and CBC (Canada), seem able to develop.
“Sometimes you can’t get enough of it, sometimes you want nothing to do with it. Sometimes it drives you to distraction, but ultimately you keep coming back.”
Sure, many relationships are like that. We can probably all relate.
But when you threaten to walk away, take the money with you, and leave them hanging unless they fawn over you and pander to your every whim – then that’s abusive.
(Which is fine too as a personal relationship; whatever floats your boat, and even fairly popular if 50 Shades is anything to go by. But it’s not really a good business relationship…)