John Madigan (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I seek leave to table the explanatory memorandum relating to the bill and have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The speech read as follows—

This Bill is a response to the long-held concerns of members of the public, many of my colleagues in this place, and ABC staff members themselves.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation is known as our ABC' for a reason. As Australia's public broadcaster, it has a specific role and responsibilities, as set out in its Charter. The aim of the Charter is to ensure the ABC represents a wide range of voice from a wide range of areas, and remains non-partisan and unbiased.

Over the last few years, we have seen an increasing 'centralisation' of the ABC, as many of its state- or territory-based production, journalism and broadcasting services have been rolled into the main offices in Sydney and Melbourne. The result has been a reduction in diversity of stories and voices, and an increased focus on east-coast metropolitan interests.

Most recently, the Government announced cuts to the ABC's budget of $254 million over five years. In response, the ABC has announced hundreds of job cuts and the cancellation of the state-based 7.30 program editions. The television production unit in South Australia—the last remaining unit outside Sydney or Melbourne—will also close.

Further, the ABC annual report for 2013/14 shows that New South Wales was the only state to see significant growth in staff over the past decade, while the rest of the country shrank or remained flat as a fraction of total staff numbers. New South Wales now accounts for more than half (51 per cent) of the ABC's 4,679 full time equivalent jobs. South Australia's stake saw the sharpest drop of all, from 8 per cent to 6.9 per cent.

The aim of this Bill is to amend the ABC's Charter in response to this centralisation. The Bill inserts specific requirements into the Charter regarding the production and dissemination of local content to ensure that journalism, production and broadcasting occur outside Sydney and Melbourne.

Specifically, the new provisions will require the ABC to have a 'distinct and discernible presence' across each State and Territory, across all of its platforms. This includes but is not limited to news programs, including at least one weekly half-hour current affairs program, investigative journalism and regional journalism. This content must be produced in, of, for and by that State or Territory.

Further, the ABC must also fund internal television production units in at least four States and/or Territories outside New South Wales and Victoria and including the existing facilities in South Australia, which are resourced to the extent that they are able to produce content beyond news and current affairs. The ABC must set aside at least 0.5 per cent of its annual budget for the operation of each unit.

These measures are a direct response to the winding back of local content within the ABC. It is vital that Australia's public broadcaster fully represent all members of our society, not just those who live in Sydney and Melbourne. This Bill will protect and enhance the ABC's provision of local content, and will ensure it truly remains 'our ABC'.

I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.