How soon is ‘soon’?
There were many gems buried in the transcripts from Monday’s grilling by the Senate Estimates Committee of Stephen Conroy. But nothing could match his attempts to define what the word “soon” means.
It came as he attempted to avoid answering questions over delays in the government’s long-awaited review of TV sport’s so called anti-siphoning list, which defines which events cannot be sold to subscription television.
Senator Mathias Cormann: “You have been telling people for a couple of months now that the new regime, following the review, will be announced in a few weeks; and now you say ‘soon’. But, essentially, ‘soon’ is not going to be any time soon, is it? How soon is ‘soon’?
Senator Conroy—I am happy to put it in writing so that you have the word ‘soon’ as gospel.
Senator Cormann—So what is the definition of ‘soon’?
Senator Conroy—We are not in the heat of passion at the moment and you are not a grocery clerk either.
Senator Cormann—So is ‘soon’ six months? You mentioned seven months—
Senator Conroy—No. What I have said is that there is a legislative point at which a decision must be made and it will certainly comply with all existing legislation.
Senator Cormann—No. I am suggesting that you made a promise in March that a decision would be made about the anti-siphoning law regime.
Senator Conroy—No, I did not make a promise.
Senator Cormann—So you did not say that the decision was going to be made—
Senator Conroy—I said ‘hopefully, soon’—
Senator Cormann—In a few weeks time?
Senator Conroy—‘In a few weeks time.’ That is not a promise that it was going to be made in March. Do not try to put words in my mouth; they are perfectly—
Senator Cormann—No. So how many weeks is ‘a few weeks’, Minister? Is 52 weeks ‘a few weeks’?
Senator Conroy—Subsequent to that statement, a number of organisations then asked me not to make a final decision so that I could consult further. In the spirit of wanting to consult extensively and to make sure that the sector is completely aware of all of the discussions, I have been consulting further at the request of a number of organisations.
Senator Cormann—But you are not prepared to tell us which organisations have asked you to delay the decision—
Senator Conroy—You have not been prepared to tell me who gave you your information.
Senator Cormann—So do we expect a decision before the election, or is this going to be in the postelection too-hard basket?
Senator Conroy—Hopefully, soon.
That clears that up then.
Comments: 1
