Steve Georganas (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was highly disappointed last week to learn of the detail of Foxtel’s deal with the free-to-air television networks in the carve-up of AFL games for the 2007 through to 2011 seasons. From the perspective of fans of South Australian teams, this deal represents a considerable drop in the quality coverage of Adelaide Crows and Port Power games in South Australia. The deal received immediate condemnation from many and varied sources, most notably communicated by contributors on Adelaide’s KG and Cornsey’s FIVEaa sports show, one of the highest rating metropolitan sports shows in Australia.

The outcome of this deal is nothing new, regrettably. We have seen it again and again in recent years—that is, the continual transference of substantial sporting events from free-to-air television to subscription TV. The Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts has stated in the past that the list of sporting events offered to free-to-air networks in the first instance are those of national importance and cultural significance. Flying in the face of her own assessment, last year we saw the qualifying rounds for the next World Cup bought up by subscription television, depriving hundreds of thousands of Australian fans of viewing access to our national soccer team, the Socceroos, in their bid for the next World Cup series.

Last week we saw continue the gradual transmigration of sporting events from free-to-air to subscription television. In response to concerns about the viewing public’s decreased access, the AFL chief executive officer reportedly said:

I would encourage everyone to subscribe to Foxtel.

Well, that is okay if you can afford it, if you have lots of money; but too bad if you are a pensioner, disabled or unemployed and you cannot afford it. This is clearly the government’s perspective also. Despite the Prime Minister acknowledging that the treatment of Adelaide viewers was ‘pretty tough’, he failed to mention that his government’s policy regarding free-to-air multichannelling actually decreases the options available to networks wishing to increase the number of games televised live. This government prohibits networks from televising a game on one of their digital channels, working parallel to the usual analog station, until January 2009. All government restrictions, arbitrary as they may be, on the free-to-air networks’ rights to televise multiple sporting events on digital channels will not be removed until the analog system is switched off, and that is not likely until around 2012 at best.

There is no clearer case of the Howard government restricting the technologically feasible televising options of the free-to-air networks, season after season after season. In so doing, it is not only purposely limiting the potential free-to-air televising of live sporting events around the country, much to the viewing public’s disappointment, but also in the process encouraging the onselling of events, or part events, to subscription television through contracts locking in regrettable arrangements for half a decade to come.

Senator Coonan, the minister for communications, says, ‘Pay to see sports on TV.’ That was her view previously, as represented in the Australian Financial Reviewa remarkably similar view to that expressed by the AFL CEO. The minister clearly has not learned from community disquiet or come to terms with the simple fact that many Australian families cannot afford the $600 annual subscription fee for pay TV. They should not be penalised for that.

As Australians we must also not underestimate the great importance of ensuring that our children are exposed to various major sporting events on free-to-air TV. Kids love to emulate their sporting heroes, to the extent that most kids become actively involved in a team environment. This in itself allows kids to become disciplined, develop leadership skills in a team oriented environment, assume responsibilities, harness communication skills, form friendships, and place trust in others and expect the same in return. These are all qualities that will enable today’s generation and future generations of young Australians to be better prepared in both their personal and professional lives in years to come.

I honestly hope that the interests of the majority of Australian sports enthusiasts speak louder than the ‘for sale’ flag on major sporting events and that those events continue to be broadcast on free-to-air TV.