Free market, right-wing think tank the Institute of Public Affairs has called on the Morrison Government to rule out giving more taxpayer dollars to the ABC.
The IPA says that the ABC receives $1.1 billion per year.
A new poll commissioned by the IPA asked Australians to agree or disagree with the statement “The ABC does not represent the views of ordinary Australians.”
- 30% agree
- 32% disagree
- 38% neither agree nor disagree
“If only 32% of Australians think the ABC speaks for them, then it is clear public broadcasting has passed its use-by date,” said Gideon Rozner, Director of Policy at the IPA.
The poll did not ask, CLA says, whether the ABC was absolutely indispensable to the physical and mental well-being of Australians and saving of lives during the recent East Coast bushfires.
CLA has created its own poll, without needing to ask people affected by bushfires, their relatives and friends. CLA asks:
“Was the ABC an invaluable, priceless, national resource during the early 2020 bushfires?”
Our self-generated poll results are:
- 99% agree, in spades
- 1% (drawn from IPA supporters undoubtedly): Don’t know.
Your view here is absurdly selective.
If, indeed the role of the ABC is about primary accurate community information, why then is it involved in all manner of ‘light entertainment’?
It should not attempt to do both.