Brett Raguse (Forde, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Country and western—that is right. Mark O’Brien is also a very talented on-air presenter and he has put a lot of work into the radio station. And Alf Sander, who just turned 90 years of age, is still a very active on-air announcer and provides some wonderful soundtracks for people who like listening late at night. I should also commemorate the late Rex Rodgers as he was very much a part of establishing the radio station and put in a lot of work over the years.

Before I close, I would like to sum up by saying that I support this bill and certainly the aspects that support the development of community radio. I think community radio is a vital part of many communities, particularly those that are outside of capital cities. In regions like my area it is absolutely necessary, even to those people in Duck Creek Road, because it is an important service and one of the only services they tend to get in that region.

When I mentioned training I should have said that there is a great model for training in community radio in the Smithfield high school just north of Cairns. In a former role, when I was heavily involved in media, it was one high school that I visited just to see what they were doing with their community radio licence. There is an amazing amount of training that they put through that high school, training of a very high level.

In closing, I support this bill. The role it plays and support it gives to local communities is very important. With that, I commend this bill to the House.

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