Senator LUNDY (9:59 AM) —There is no doubt that other providers of datacasting services in the current market are not relying necessarily on subscriptions but are offering products, in conjunction with partners, that do not provide for an up-front fee for access to it. Let us look again at ninemsn. The relationship between that service and Telstra provide that, if you have ninemsn product, you are also required to participate in that product using Telstra's Internet service provider, Big Pond.

My point is that other services, because of their opportunity to advertise, may not be subscription based. Again, given that these services are establishing now, what you are suggesting is another layer of competitive disadvantage in that the only option for the ABC to fund such a service would be to make people pay for it up-front if they want access to that content.

I agree with your points about the ABC's high standards. In fact, it is one of these outcomes that they are so under pressure in terms of funding that they have managed to develop what I would argue is the most sophisticated system and process for the production of digital content across all aspects of that organisation. I concur with any inherent structural advantages that are there, but those advantages have nothing to do with any additional revenue or support provided by your government and can be directly attributed to the creativity and innovation within that organisation. That is the only basis you have to present with respect to the ABC's ability to compete. I suggest that you need to perhaps review the Hansard afterwards but reconsider your position that you have described this morning, as I believe it structurally places the ABC in an uncompetitive position with respect to these new services.

Amendments not agreed to.

The CHAIRMAN —Senator Bourne, are you intending to move Democrat amendment No. 14 on sheet 1062?