A western Sydney MP doesn't want SBS to have more advertising revenue to produce "rubbish television" like its recent documentary Struggle Street.
Labor's Ed Husic, whose electorate of Chifley includes Mount Druitt where the controversial program was filmed, used debate in parliament about increasing SBS advertising to blast the public broadcaster and production company Keo Films.
They'd used questionable methods and ethics while filming and then put together promotions that ridiculed his constituents, he told parliament on Tuesday.
"They were treated as simple comedic fodder by SBS, there to be denigrated and demeaned and all for one purpose and one purpose only: to boost ratings," Mr Husic said.
It unnecessarily added to already negative stereotypes of people in western Sydney.
Mr Husic told of regularly meeting young people who won't put their home address on job applications for fear of being rejected by employers because of living in that region.
"People in our area have had to put up with these type of things for many years and do not need the reinforcement of it," he said.
He called on the show's producers to drop legal threats against Blacktown mayor Stephen Bali, who spoke out against the program, and demanded to know why Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull hadn't stepped in.
"If SBS wants more advertising to promote this type of rubbish TV that has gone on and demeaned the people of the area that I represent, then quite frankly ... they should not have the opportunity," he said.
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