Speakers: Senator Dean Smith, Hugh Marks, Senator Nita Green, Unknown Speaker

Transcript

Senator Dean Smith

Um just to be clear, we did canvas this before the break, but did you as you did you or any member of the ABC board discuss the segment with the minister discuss the segment with the Minister for Communications or her office at any stage or any other member of the government before it was broadcast?

Hugh Marks

Before it was broad broadcast?

Senator Dean Smith

Before it was broadcast.

Hugh Marks

Not that I wouldn't know, Senator, I doubt that would have happened, but I can only talk from my own perspective.

Senator Dean Smith

Uh and then uh again the same question. Um did you discuss it with the Minister or her office at any stage following the broadcast, and what I and on what instances did it discussed uh with you or others at the ABC with the Minister or her staff?

Hugh Marks

Um Senator, I didn't uh discuss it with the Minister directly. I think um uh Minister Graham has offered to come back with uh details about the nature of the communications that happened, if it was to happen uh or when that happened, so I think that that's to come back to the committee.

Senator Dean Smith

The Prime Minister also made some comments later in August. I think perhaps a week even after stand corrected, perhaps even a week after the Minister's comments. So on notice, could you advise whether you or the ABC or our staff at the staff at the ABC uh spoke with the Prime Minister or the Prime Minister's office in regards to this matter?

Senator Nita Green

You want that to add that to the uh I can't take it on notice because that would be a matter for PM and C, but I think if the ABC is willing to do that?

Hugh Marks

I again I did not, Senator, um, but we can uh undertake to come back to you as to whether the Prime Minister's office communicated with the ABC.