News

Government claims no cuts made to the ABC

Senate Estimates 2020 led to a strange question: does the government or the screen sector live in the real world? One or the other but it can't be both.

9 Mar 2020

David Tiley

Writing and Publishing

Honey, is that the Treasurer in the room? Elisabeth Moss senses The Invisible Man, created by Leigh Whannell. Image: production still.

Paul Fletcher’s Department of Communications and the hidden arts slipped into view at the Senate Estimates hearings this year, to allow the government to make an extraordinary claim.

On the morning of 3 March, Senator Nita Green made her presence felt for the first time. She is 36 years old, a new ALP senator from Queensland, a lawyer with a bachelor of creative arts and a former organiser for the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union. She turned out to be indefatigable, harassing Senator Margaret Reynolds standing in for Minister Fletcher.

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David Tiley

David Tiley was the Editor of Screenhub from 2005 until he became Content Lead for Film in 2021 with a special interest in policy. He is a writer in screen media with a long career in educational programs, documentary, and government funding, with a side order in script editing. He values curiosity, humour and objectivity in support of Australian visions and the art of storytelling.