Senator BROWN (9:45 PM) —The government wants to delete the section of the Broadcasting Services Act—it is the very first thing in this bill—which says that the object of the act is `to ensure that Australians have effective control of the more influential broadcasting services'. Why?

It would help if I got a response from the minister but, seeing as I have not, I will make a further request of the minister. The very first amendment that the government has brought in this legislation is to remove the object of the act which says that the act wishes `to ensure that Australians have effective control of the more influential broadcasting services'. Notwithstanding the debate that is taking place, why does the government—if there is not going to be influence levied by any of the foreign ownership expansion that will come out of this legislation—remove that section which says `the aim is to ensure that Australians have effective control of the more influential broadcasting services'?

The minister said that he feels these are cotton wool people, who are hands-off and will not influence broadcasting services. The only interpretation a fair-minded person could have of this is that that object is being lost, because the outcome of the government's move will be to ensure that foreigners have effective control of the more influential broadcasting services, or can have. The minister says it does not make any difference. Then why remove the clause? That is absurd. What is happening here is that the government is moving to do away with the concept that Australians should have effective control of the more influential broadcasting services. It is a straight statement. What the government is aiming to do here is to take away that assurance that Australians will have effective control. Let us call a spade a spade. If the minister has any argument against that, let us hear it.