Summary

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The majority support Greens Senator Scott Ludlam's motion that all parties should maintain funding to ABC and SBS and ensure their political independence.

Motion text

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) 80 per cent of Australians surveyed believe the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is balanced and even-handed when reporting news and current affairs and 83 per cent of Australians regard the ABC to be distinctively Australian and contributing to Australia's national identity,

(ii) the motion put to the Victorian Liberal Party Council conference on 25 26 May by the Warragul branch, urging an examination of the feasibility of partial or full privatisation of the ABC and Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) was deferred to the next conference, and

(iii) That the ABC and SBS are vital public news, information, education and entertainment services for the benefit of citizens and audiences rather than advertisers and shareholders; and

(b) calls on:

(i) the Liberal Party to categorically reject the motion put by Warragul branch, and

(ii) all parties to commit to maintaining the ABC and SBS as properly funded public broadcasters with independent boards free from political interference.

Votes Passed by a small majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Australian Greens (100% turnout) 9 Yes 0 No
Richard Di Natale Victoria Yes
Sarah Hanson-Young SA Yes
Scott Ludlam WA Yes
Christine Milne Tasmania Yes
Lee Rhiannon NSW Yes
Rachel Siewert WA Yes
Larissa Waters Queensland Yes
Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania Yes
Penny Wright SA Yes
Australian Labor Party (87% turnout) 26 Yes 0 No
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania Yes
Mark Bishop WA Yes
Carol Brown Tasmania Yes
Doug Cameron NSW Yes
Bob Carr NSW Yes
Kim Carr Victoria Yes
Jacinta Collins Victoria Yes
Trish Crossin NT Yes
Don Farrell SA Yes
John Faulkner NSW Yes
David Feeney Victoria Yes
Mark Furner Queensland Yes
Alex Gallacher SA Yes
Sue Lines WA Yes
Gavin Marshall Victoria Yes
Anne McEwen SA Yes
Jan McLucas Queensland Yes
Claire Moore Queensland Yes
Helen Polley Tasmania Yes
Louise Pratt WA Yes
Lisa Singh Tasmania Yes
Ursula Stephens NSW Yes
Glenn Sterle WA Yes
Matt Thistlethwaite NSW Yes
Lin Thorp Tasmania Yes
Anne Urquhart Tasmania Yes
Stephen Conroy Victoria Absent
Joe Ludwig Queensland Absent
Kate Lundy ACT Absent
Penny Wong SA Absent
Nigel Scullion NT Country Liberal Party No
John Madigan Victoria Democratic Labor Party No
Stephen Parry Tasmania Deputy President No
Nick Xenophon SA Independent Absent
Liberal Party (89% turnout) 0 Yes 24 No
Christopher Back WA No
Cory Bernardi SA No
Simon Birmingham SA No
Sue Boyce Queensland No
George Brandis Queensland No
David Bushby Tasmania No
Michaelia Cash WA No
Richard Colbeck Tasmania No
Mathias Cormann WA No
Sean Edwards SA No
Alan Eggleston WA No
David Fawcett SA No
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW No
Mitch Fifield Victoria No
Gary Humphries ACT No
David Johnston WA No
Helen Kroger Victoria No
Brett Mason Queensland No
Marise Payne NSW No
Michael Ronaldson Victoria No
Anne Ruston SA No
Scott Ryan Victoria No
Arthur Sinodinos NSW No
Dean Smith WA No
Eric Abetz Tasmania Absent
Bill Heffernan NSW Absent
Ian Macdonald Queensland Absent
National Party (60% turnout) 0 Yes 3 No
Ron Boswell Queensland No
Bridget McKenzie Victoria No
John Williams NSW No
Barnaby Joyce Queensland Absent
Fiona Nash NSW Absent
John Hogg Queensland President Absent
Totals (86% turnout) 35 Yes – 30 No