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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-07-17 Daily Xml
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COMMUNITY TELEVISION FUNDING

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. A. Bressington:

That this council urges—

1. The Premier to call upon the federal government, in particular the Prime Minister and the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, to provide appropriate and swift funding to enable community television to simulcast in both analogue and digital frequencies;

2. That the Premier, at the next meeting of the Council of Australian Governments, insists that his interstate counterparts do the same; and

3. That the resolution be forwarded to the Premier, the Prime Minister and the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy for their urgent consideration,

which the Hon. B.V. Finnigan has moved to amend by leaving out all words after 'That this council urges' and inserting the words:

representation be made by the Minister for Science and Information Economy to the Federal Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, at a future meeting of the Online and Communications Council, to explore options enabling simulcast in both analogue and digital frequencies for community television.'

(Continued from 15 July 2009. Page 2887.)

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (17:28): I rise on behalf of the opposition to indicate that we support the Hon. Ann Bressington's motion that the Legislative Council urges the Premier to call upon the federal government, in particular the Prime Minister and the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, to provide appropriate and swift funding to enable community television to simulcast in both analogue and digital frequencies.

Members would be aware that the federal communications minister (Hon. Stephen Conroy) set 2013 as the digital television switchover deadline. The federal opposition branded this move a naive and political chest-beating exercise that did not consider the future of community television. Community television cannot be viewed through a digital set-top box, and many argue that its existence will be forgotten when the switchover to digital broadcast takes place.

Leading up to the 2009 budget, the shadow minister for broadband communications and the digital economy (a good friend to all of us on this side of the council), Senator Minchin, called on the government to provide funding for community television. However, community television has received no assistance to convert to digital transmission. In 2001, the commercial free-to-air broadcasters were given access to spectrum at no cost to assist them with simulcasting arrangements during the switchover, but community television was not included in the deal.

Mr President, you can see that there are some deficiencies in what is happening at the moment. The opposition believes that community television plays an important role in our community and we would like to see the federal government pressured by the Premier. We are very happy to support the Hon. Ann Bressington's motion to see that happen.

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (17:30): I spoke to my amendment in my contribution yesterday.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (17:31): I indicate that the opposition will not be supporting the Hon. Bernard Finnigan's amendment.

The Hon. A. BRESSINGTON (17:31): I am not supporting that amendment, either. I have asked for an explanation as to the amendment and have not received one that satisfies my curiosity. I believe that asking the Premier to take this in hand also identifies the matter of urgency that faces community television, and I think it is appropriate that this should come from our Premier to our Prime Minister and our Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. It being the matter of urgency that it is, I believe that they are running out of time and that, by mid-next year, if they do not get that funding and are left to broadcast in analogue, they will basically have to switch off. This is an urgent matter, indeed.

The Hon. M. PARNELL (17:32): The Greens support the original motion. We do not support the amendment.

Amendment negatived; motion carried.

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