Page 494 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 8 March 2006
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We know that people trust the ABC and that they go to their local ABC station in an emergency or natural or other disaster. It seems odd to me that the federal government can expect a terrorist attack enough to pass draconian legislation, but not enough to ensure that we have a well resourced source of information accessible to everyone to warn them and give instructions which may be life saving. There are a number of other ABC initiatives waiting in the wings for farmers, such as new digital TV stations and ABC Online, but just to maintain the service that we have our Aunty needs more money. Consequently, I will support this motion.
MR STANHOPE (Ginninderra—Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for the Environment and Minister for Arts, Heritage and Indigenous Affairs) (5.17): I am very happy to support this motion. With the ABC in the process of negotiating its triennial funding with the commonwealth government, I think that it is important that we take the opportunity to recognise the ABC’s essential place in the media and broadcasting landscape of the ACT, and indeed of the nation, and to express our support for the ABC’s triennial funding submission.
In that regard, I do not support the position being put by Mr Mulcahy, in particular, that it is inappropriate for an Assembly or a parliament within the ACT, representing the people of the ACT, to express through a motion on private members’ day its essential support for this very essential institution, an independent ABC. It is fundamentally important to us as Canberrans and, of course, it is fundamentally important to us as Australians. We of the ACT are, after all, just as affected by the fortunes of the ABC as anybody else in Australia. Whilst the ABC may be funded through the national parliament, it is an Australian institution and of fundamental importance to each and every one of us.
A whole range of reasons have already been expressed by other speakers—Dr Foskey has just gone to some of them—as to why we need to support a public broadcaster and why public broadcasting is very important. It plays a fundamental role, a crucial role, in informing firstly, but also indeed in entertaining our community. Today’s ABC encompasses much more than domestic and international broadcasting on radio and television. Technology has brought new ways to deliver content. The ABC has certainly moved with that, going into online services, broadcasting, broadband, digital television and radio and, indeed, services through mobile phones and other wireless devices.
In order to service the needs of consumers embracing new technologies, maintain faith with traditional audiences and address the needs of underserved communities, the commonwealth government does, I think, need to adjust the ABC’s current funding base. I do believe that it is appropriate for us to indicate to the commonwealth that the people of the ACT, through this parliament, believe that it needs to continue to support this institution.
Not only do we recommend that the commonwealth government address a cumulative funding gap in relation to operational and capital expenditure, but also we support the proposition from the ABC, as I understand that proposition, that it be funded at an annual average of $38.4 million over the next three years, funding which in the ABC’s submission, which I accept, is needed for servicing outer metropolitan and regional radio and online audiences, including within the ACT and this region, which will result in
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