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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-10-17 Daily Xml
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PBA-FM Community Radio

Mr FULBROOK (Playford) (15:24): It is a pleasure to rise to place on record my congratulations to the community radio station PBA-FM. This year marks the station's 40th anniversary on air. It was my pleasure to join the community in their day of celebration on 4 October.

Formed in 1978, PBA-FM conducted a successful test transmission in April 1981, with a full licence granted in November 1982 and broadcasting commencing the following year. It has been a mainstay of the north, and now more than ever, with the demise of the Messenger Press and the very regretful centralisation of the ABC to the eastern seaboard, we need stations like these to play an active role in telling our stories.

While any community-operated station can use some extra help, I am pleased to say that judging by the enthusiasm of the celebrations, PBA-FM is in great shape. Based in Salisbury, the station broadcasts over 60 diverse shows across the northern suburbs on FM band 89.7. This ranges from Prospect in the south to Redbanks in the north. It does an exceptional job, not only entertaining us with some great music but importantly caters to and gives a public voice to many diverse groups.

I place special emphasis on the station's vital link to our multicultural communities. This includes programming in 17 languages including Spanish, Polish, Croatian and Tagalog, just to name a few. PBA-FM is also a fantastic rallying point for Aboriginal Australians based in northern Adelaide, with successful programming such as Feel Good Nunga Radio and Deadly Beats.

The celebration at the Salisbury Institute was a great show with plenty of food, entertainment and many fascinating stories. It was fantastic to hear Gary Lockyer, a volunteer with the station for 35 years, tell of the early days with amusing beginnings from the original base at the Salisbury Teachers College and the broadcast tower from Para Hills. Raising the toast and cutting the cake was former Premier and local member Reverend Lynn Arnold, who 40 years earlier opened the station. We also had live music from Gawler's very own Yellow Door Street Band and Fyred Up, with fantastic collections of both old and new songs. Also joining me for the occasion was Playford Mayor Glenn Docherty, reinforcing the significance of PBA-FM to communities beyond Salisbury.

I mentioned earlier that while the station is in good shape, there is always more we can do as a community to ensure it thrives. If you are a business, community radio is an effective and affordable way of spreading your message. As a not-for-profit organisation, revenue raised by the Para Broadcasters Association is reinvested directly back into the station. This includes the significant investment made in its people, with fantastic training given to its legion of volunteers who have made the station the success story it has been for the last 40 years.

We should not lose sight of the fact that now more than ever stations like these are important places for anyone aspiring to a career in media to hone their skills. All PBA volunteers are financial members and contribute in many areas of the station including on-air presentation, program production, administration, technical, research, library, training and promotions. As you can see, there is a lot going on way behind the microphone to make things happen, noting that it all comes together thanks to the drive and commitment of the station's volunteers.

Before finishing, I take this opportunity to express specific thanks to station manager, Indi Wood, and secretary and presenter, Nick Brown, who both did an excellent job in organising the event. I am sure that there were many others involved, so please forgive me for leaving you out. Also, I give a special shout-out to Playford local Bruce Richmond, who does a fantastic job hosting Living in the 70s.

I am a big fan of PBA-FM and indeed community radio. They have been invaluable to my community and, with this in mind, I end by wishing them every success for the next 40 years.

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