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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-03-05 Daily Xml
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REGIONAL TELEVISION SERVICES

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (15:42): I rise today to speak on the WIN Television closure—

Mr Venning: Shame!

Mr WHETSTONE: —of news services both in the Riverland and down at Mount Gambier and, as the member for Schubert says, it is an absolute shame. This announcement was made despite the broadcaster being part of the government's $34 million package to help regional broadcasters upgrade to digital and add new channels. Sadly, it has been reported that 10 staff will be made redundant due to cost restraints. This news service has been an important conduit to the regions for 30-plus years and, as the decision stands, it is a sad day for regional South Australia.

On Wednesday of the last sitting week, I met with the Premier, the Minister for Regional Development (Hon. Ms Gago) and the member for Mount Gambier (Don Pegler MP) on this issue. Both the Premier and Minister Gago offered nothing to the discussion—sadly, not even an offer to lobby their federal cousins to look at viable options. Minister Gago has even gone as far as putting articles in my local papers in the Riverland and said that I had offered nothing.

To set the record straight, I would like to tell the house that I have written to ACMA seeking WIN's licence obligations. I have drafted letters to the regional commercial broadcasters seeking their intent, as WIN's licence will expire in August 2014. I have also contacted Senator Anne Ruston, who sits on the Senate Environment and Communications References Committee, to examine the ABC's obligation to provide a local news service. The committee is already conducting an inquiry into the ABC's commitment to regional diversity nationally, which would also have a huge impact on regional representation here in South Australia.

I do take this issue seriously. Unlike minister Gago and the Premier, I have done as any good local member should do and shown a proactive approach. The discontinuation of the WIN regional news service will have a real impact on the region knowing what is happening in the region. The news service has been a fantastic conduit for knowing local issues and knowing exactly what is happening within the region.

WIN TV has halved the news service over the last number of years, sharing that news service between the Mount Gambier service and the Riverland service, and it did come with its criticism but people accepted the decision. That cost-cutting exercise still provided that conduit to the regions to learn exactly what was going on within the communities.

For WIN TV to walk away is a sad indictment on the region, but for the Premier and the minister to politicise this issue and then go to my constituents and say that I have offered nothing, I think is nothing short of typical of a minister who is out of her depth. The minister has again misrepresented me as the local member in Chaffey, as she has done many times in the last month, and I think it is time that she was given a brief.

The minister has again misrepresented me to my constituents and I have taken offence. I have responded in the media, and I will continue to respond in the media when a minister comes out there and gives false allegations about an MP who has given representation to their people.

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