Page 430 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 13 May 1992
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Valley View Newspaper
MR WOOD (Minister for Education and Training, Minister for the Arts and Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning) (4.35): Madam Speaker, I want to comment on some of the remarks by Mr De Domenico about the Valley View. I do not live in Tuggeranong; but, by whatever means, the newspaper arrives in my in-tray on Tuesday or Wednesday of each week and I enjoy reading it. I am sure Mr Connolly does, too, from time to time. Mr De Domenico made two comments about the newspaper that would place it high in my respect - that it is independently owned and that it is local. I would certainly do everything I could to encourage a newspaper of that sort. I will not go down the path of discussing media ownership in Australia or the ACT. I believe that there is something of a campaign out there - this is the way that large newspapers work - for one newspaper to undercut the other, and I have no doubt that the Valley View is feeling some pressure.
Mr De Domenico said that the leisure centre at Erindale had not taken up the offer to provide information about its programs that would be published free of charge. I have indicated on at least one occasion and perhaps twice that the message could go to the department that that offer was there and they might accept it. That has not been done. I do not know why that is, and I am not sure that it is my job as Minister to do any more than I have done.
Mr De Domenico: No, and I have said that.
MR WOOD: Yes. In relation to paid advertising, that is another matter again. Mr De Domenico would be the first to stand up and criticise my department if it advertised in a newspaper at a rate higher than was available elsewhere. I do not know by what means the department assesses the prices from the newspapers for advertising. I am not sure that I should know, because it can be a quite contentious area. I certainly do not direct the department as to where it should advertise; but I do say, "Get the cheapest advertising you can for a good coverage".
I can say no more than that. I do not know how the department goes about assessing the prices - whether it is a phone call to ask what the advertising rates are this week, this month, or whatever, or whether a tender is invited. I will certainly raise the matter with the department to see that it continues to get the best possible coverage at the best possible cost. I am happy to be seen to be absolutely even-handed to the Valley View, and to the Canberra Chronicle and the Canberra Times, the newspapers that circulate in that area. Above all - I am sure that Ms Ellis would agree with me - we must do the best we can for the people in Tuggeranong.
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