Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move this motion with much glee. In 1992 the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy sang: ‘Television, the drug of the nation. Breeding ignorance and feeding radiation.’ I will give you the drum on this concept later in my speech. It is not news to people who know me—and my neighbours—but I am a strong supporter of the arts, especially writing and music. I am co-convenor, with Julie Owens, of the Labor Friends of the Arts. My bookshelves are packed to the rafters and my iPod has music from the four corners of the globe and includes all types except house. I say this to explain some of the history behind this motion.

For many years my good wife and I were addicted to a television police show from the United Kingdom, shown on ABC1 on Saturday nights. The show stretched right back to 1983. We have been clean for a while now. In fact, we went cold turkey on 16 October 2010. Our modern family is using my rehab journey to avoid all television and to rush out to engage with our local performers, our local artists and our local writers. Consequently, I encourage all Australians to turn off their TVs, to turn off Iron Chef or The Simpsons or Spicks and Specks or RocKwiz or MasterChef or Top Gear—whatever you are watching—to get off the couch and get closer to your local live performers. Do it today, tonight, tomorrow.

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