The Wodonga-based senator questioned Screen Australia chief executive Graham Mason in Senate Estimates this week over the ABC show Fight for Planet A.

The show, hosted by Craig Reucassel, aims to encourage more action on climate change, but the Cattle Council of Australia has complained that claims around deforestation and land clearing in the beef industry were based on inaccurate data.

Senator McKenzie said the blurb on the Screen Australia website stated the show would put pressure on politicians and those standing in the way of change.

"Is the red meat industry in Australia standing in the way of change?" she said

"What about Australian families who eat red meat, who support primary producers in sustainable meat production?"

Mr Mason replied that "I would not characterise that as a view that Screen Australia holds".

IN OTHER NEWS:

He revealed the production company was provided with $625,000 in production support to make the show.

"May I humbly suggest that Screen Australia consider some other processes before awarding funding to check that documentaries don't end up in fact misleading people and denigrating complete industries and communities," Senator McKenzie said.

Also in Senate Estimates this week, the Australian Rail Track Corporation revealed it is still locked in negotiations with the Victorian government over the $6-7 million needed to maintain the North East rail line.

ARTC head of strategy Simon Ormsby said "the project works, as best I understand, are scheduled for mid next year, and we'd expect to have a better position towards the end of this year".

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack told Parliament back in March that the issue was a matter for the ARTC and Victoria.

But Indi MP Helen Haines told The Border Mail this week she was concerned that with the rail upgrade due to be complete in nine months, "there is not a cent allocated to its ongoing maintenance".

"It would be astonishing if the government spent a quarter of a billion dollars upgrading the line, only to have it immediately start to degrade again, because they didn't plan to finish the job properly," she said.

"The ARTC is a Commonwealth-owned entity so it is the responsibility of the Deputy Prime Minister to guarantee that when the upgrade is completed, it remains at the new standard."