Statement on Senate Motion on New Daily

The Senate has voted to see the details of the deal between the ABC and the “New Daily” which is the media arm of the super funds’ lobby group. Despite the ABC being prohibited from advertising, it is taking money from a highly dubious outlet which uses workers' super to attack critics of super and political opponents. Super funds have already sunk at least $12m of workers’ super into the New Daily boondoggle. It is a grotesque waste of superannuation guarantee contributions. I am concerned the New Daily deal may impact ABC reporting on superannuation. Super funds are supposed to be working for their members - not running propaganda outfits. The existing fiduciary duty which applies to super funds should prohibit this sort of waste but it has not. The new law proposed in the last Budget will certainly prohibit this waste of workers' money. The Senate’s passage of the motion should now force the ABC to disclose the commercial arrangements as Mr Anderson promised at Estimates. Mr Anderson had told the Senate in November: “I’m happy to give you a range, if you like, of what revenue we get from that.” Friday’s disclosure is insufficient and inconsistent with Mr Anderson’s commitment to the Senate. We need to know the details of the ABC’s deal with the super lobbyists.