Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Hansard source

I'll only speak briefly, and I would like to go to the amendments with respect to community television. A very exciting development happened in the other place late last evening when Senator Rex Patrick moved some amendments that allowed for community television to have a three-year life while broadcasting to allow them to plan for their future. This is really, really exciting.

I would particularly like to acknowledge and thank the minister for always having his door open to me. I have pounded on his door many, many times. I'm sure he's quite relieved that he won't have me talking to him about community television again.

I think this is a great development, because community television tells our stories. The previous member was talking about Australian stories, and that is so true: Australian stories need to be told. But I also say that, with community television, it's not just Australian stories; they're your local, local community stories.

In South Australia, we have a wonderful community television network in Channel 44. We have fishing shows that are in my own community, that are in the electorate of Mayo. In the morning we have exercise programs particularly dedicated for old people, and it's our churches that are delivering mass and other church services on Sunday morning for people who can't physically get to church anymore. So I again send my enormous gratitude to the minister for listening, and I'm really pleased with these amendments. I commend this bill to the House.

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