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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 2 Hansard (5 March) . . Page.. 565 ..

MR HARGREAVES (continuing):

With both the ABC and the SBS in the process of negotiating their triennial funding with the federal government, I thought the Assembly should take this opportunity today to express support for our public broadcasters. I note the absence of people from seats across the chamber, Mr Speaker, but I will not do anything beyond saying that.

I should say at the outset that I am a big supporter of public broadcasting and always have been. Public broadcasting plays a crucial role in informing and entertaining our community. It provides an independent voice free from commercial and political interference. The public knows when it consumes media from the public broadcasters that it will not be tainted by sponsorships and under-the-table deals. There are no cash-for-comment scandals associated with the ABC and SBS.

As we in the political game know only too well, the media plays a significant role in our democratic process. Media organisations have the power to influence public debate and policy outcomes and maybe even make and break governments. That is an enormous responsibility and why it is very important that there are well-resourced and independent voices in the media.

The ABC has performed this role for over 70 years. The corporation delivers an amazing array of local, national and international services for the $675 million per annum it receives in government funding. These include: a national television service with local news and current affairs, the four national radio networks-Radio National, NewsRadio, Triple J and Classic FM; local radio-666 ABC Radio in Canberra; a comprehensive internet presence with over one million pages of content, including a significant amount of ACT material; international broadcasting through Radio Australia; 24,000 hours of independent news and current affairs per year; 13 international news bureaus; and two digital multichannels, ABC Kids and the youth channel Fly.

Mr Speaker, it is important to stress just how much the ABC does with its funding and how much local content it provides in the ACT. The ABC is the only TV station providing a seven-day a week local news service in the ACT, Stateline Canberra is the only local current affairs program on Canberra television, and 666 ABC Radio is the only news and talk station that provides local content throughout the day.

During the recent bushfire crisis, the ABC was a vital source of information to Canberrans, with 666 ABC Radio providing 10 days of emergency broadcasting during the crisis. On the weekend of 18 and 19 January, the station was on air for 12 hours straight without taking any networked programming. Indeed, for the past two years, the ABC has been the designated broadcaster in times of national emergency when other communications have been down.

There is no doubt that Canberra would be a poorer community without the ABC. In fact, Australia would be a poorer nation without the ABC. Numerous surveys have shown that the Australian public agrees with these sentiments. A recent Newspoll found that 91 per cent of Australia believe the ABC provides a valuable service to the community.

I understand that the ABC is seeking an extra $250 million over the next three years in its funding submission. This $250 million is needed to meet cost pressures associated with the move to digital television, to establish new multichannels and to ensure the continued development of quality Australian content.

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