Pauline Hanson Advocates for ABC Defunding and Subscription Model
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has issued a stark call for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation to be defunded and forced onto a subscription-only model. This demand came as thousands of ABC employees walked off the job in a significant industrial action.
Hanson's Blunt Remarks on Sky News
During an interview with Sky News host Chris Kenny on Wednesday, Hanson made her position unequivocally clear. She accused the ABC of failing taxpayers and argued that the public should no longer be expected to fund the broadcaster through compulsory fees.
'There's an easy answer to all this - defund it, the $1.2 billion a year, then they can have to reapply for the jobs and be on subscription only,' Hanson stated bluntly.
She elaborated that Australians should only pay for ABC content if they actively choose to watch it. 'It has to be subsidised by the people who want to watch it,' she insisted. Hanson did make an exception for ABC radio services in rural and regional areas, praising their work, but maintained her opposition to funding other aspects of the broadcaster.
Allegations of Political Bias
Hanson further claimed that the ABC lacks political neutrality, describing its programming as left-wing propaganda. 'It is paid by the taxpayers. People expect fair and balanced programming. It is nowhere near fair and balanced. It is left‑wing propaganda, there is no doubt about that,' she asserted.
When Kenny joked that the ABC would likely criticise her defunding proposal, Hanson responded with 'Bring it on,' highlighting the longstanding tension between her and the broadcaster.
Coinciding with Major ABC Staff Strike
Hanson's comments coincided with a rare 24-hour strike by more than 2,000 ABC workers, marking the first major industrial action at the broadcaster in decades. The strike began at 11am on Wednesday and was organised by the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance.
The union stated that the ABC has failed to meet demands in negotiations for a new pay agreement, leaving workers with below-inflation wages, job insecurity, and increasing workloads. They warned that these conditions threaten both employee livelihoods and the quality of news programming that Australians depend on.
Political Reactions and Broader Context
Shadow Communications Minister Sarah Henderson criticised the timing of the strike, calling it disgraceful amid ongoing national crises. 'There has never been a more important time in this country when we need ABC journalists and other content makers to be out in the field informing Australians. We have a fuel crisis. We have a cost living crisis,' she told reporters in Canberra.
Despite the strike, ABC emergency services reporting remained operational, ensuring critical information continued to be available to the public. The simultaneous events of Hanson's defunding call and the staff walkout have intensified debates about the ABC's funding model, editorial independence, and role in Australian society.
