Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities) Share this | Hansard source

I present the explanatory memorandum to this bill and move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

The Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Digital Radio) Bill 2017 continues the government's commitment to a more streamlined regulatory framework for digital radio. These amendments to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 and the Radiocommunications Act 1992 further simplify digital radio processes. This includes efficiencies across the planning, licensing and allocation processes making for a more efficient rollout of digital radio services in regional Australia.

The Turnbull government remains committed to removing unnecessary and outdated regulations that hamper the industry from delivering what audiences want. The reform agenda requires continuous effort. Small improvements such as these, over time, will provide a cumulative benefit to industry and consumers. The bill makes a modest but welcome contribution in this regard.

Digital radio is now recognised as an important component of Australia's broadcasting landscape. In the decade since it was legislated, digital radio is now available in all Australian mainland state capital cities—Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney—and planning is being undertaken for permanent digital radio services in Canberra, Darwin and Hobart.

Digital radio is being introduced to Australia in a staged way. Commercial radio broadcasters are the key driver in providing digital radio services in new areas, by targeting those areas where they are most likely to be commercially viable. Digital radio remains a supplementary part of the many broadcasting services available to Australians and the government does not consider a switchover program to be appropriate. The government also considers it important that the radio broadcasting industry remain the key driver in the rollout of digital radio into regional Australia. Nonetheless, the government recognises that it still has a role to play in ensuring that any legislative or regulatory impediments to introduction of digital radio into regional Australia are removed and that the digital radio regulatory regime is working efficiently.

The government acknowledges the ongoing work of industry members of the Digital Radio Planning Committee for Regional Australia. This committee, which is chaired by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, was established following a recommendation of the Digital radio report tabled by this government in July 2015. Committee members include the Department of Communications and the Arts, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the Special Broadcasting Service, Commercial Radio Australia, the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. The committee has become a critical forum for industry, the regulator and government to plan the future rollout of digital radio in regional Australia. Some of the digital radio issues being addressed in this bill are a direct result of discussions at the planning committee. All the measures in the bill are supported by committee members.

The bill seeks to assist industry to expedite the rollout of digital radio to regional Australia. The bill shortens several legislatively prescribed time frames and removes unnecessary or redundant steps in the digital radio planning and licensing processes. Doing this reduces the overall time and cost for commercial broadcasters who want to roll out digital radio to viable regional markets. These benefits also extend to the community and national broadcasters.

Furthermore, it is important to recognise that radio broadcasters, whether they are located in metropolitan or regional markets, need to be more innovative and responsive to changes in audience demand and listening patterns. While this is a matter for the broadcasters themselves, the government does have a role to play in ensuring the regulatory arrangements reflect the realities of the 21st century broadcasting market.

As part of this role, the government is also introducing a measure in the bill that will implement measures to clarify the calculation of digital radio excess capacity entitlements in the Radiocommunications Act. At present, there is the potential for existing excess capacity entitlements to be extinguished by later excess capacity allocations on foundation multiplexes. The government considers that this is not fair to the digital radio broadcasters who acquired excess capacity by allocation or competitive auction. The proposed measures aim to clarify that existing capacity entitlements allocated to content providers are considered when determining new excess capacity allocations. This will provide certainty to content providers on their existing excess capacity entitlements on foundation digital radio multiplexes, as well as other parties seeking access to excess capacity entitlements.

This bill represents a necessary step in facilitating the rollout of digital radio to regional Australia.

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