Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to pay tribute to the role that our local ABC plays in the lives of the Central Queensland community. ABC Capricornia recently celebrated its 85th birthday. In remote country Australia, the ABC is a vital link with the outside world and, importantly, the local region. I congratulate ABC Capricornia on its milestone and I wish the dedicated team of broadcasters, producers and reporters and their audience all the best. Some of the longest-serving members of the ABC team based in Rockhampton include Paul Robinson in the newsroom, presenter Jacquie Mackay and Editor-in-Chief Chrissy Arthur. One of the longest-running programs on local ABC radio is Tom Wyatt's gardening talkback, which is broadcast from Rockhampton across much of regional Queensland. The radio station, news reporters and online and TV news crews are based in the former Mount Morgan gold mine office in Rockhampton's historic Quay Street precinct.

In paying tribute to the organisation on its 85th birthday, I also acknowledge some of the sad times for the radio station. In 1983, four local ABC staff were killed in a light plane crash while on duty about 40 kilometres from Clermont. So I say: keep up the good work, ABC Capricornia.