Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I wish to present to the House a petition from the residents of Nannup in my electorate of Forrest, the principal petitioner being Mrs Valerie Russell. This petition has been lodged with the Petitions Committee and has been approved in accordance with the requirements of standing orders.

Through this petition, the residents of Nannup in the south-west of Western Australia wish to draw to the attention of the House that, rather than having to listen to radio information emanating from the north-west of the state, they are asking to receive the local Bunbury content ABC south-west broadcast in their town. I therefore call on the Labor government to provide for this expansion of broadcasting transmission in its future budget forecasting so that towns with commonality, such as Bunbury and Nannup, can enjoy local content radio broadcasts.

Currently, Nannup residents receive ABC broadcast from satellite, which carries the Western Australian regional radio feed. Nannup residents can receive the ABC morning program from Perth but, once this has concluded and the broadcaster switches to regional areas, Nannup cannot receive the Bunbury regional transmission but instead receives Karratha radio. The broadcast comes from Karratha, which is located 1,800 kilometres from Nannup in the north of the state. It would be reasonable to state that the communities of Karratha and Nannup have nothing in common. Cyclone warnings and fishing conditions in the far north of the state are of no relevance to residents of the south-west. More importantly, Nannup residents are denied vital safety information, such as bushfire warnings and news of flooded roadways in their own town and surroundings. Nannup is located just over 100 kilometres to the south-east of Bunbury, and ABC local radio broadcasts local community content which is transmitted on 684AM from Busselton, which is only about 61 kilometres away. I am told that occasionally Nannup residents can receive ABC 684AM Bunbury on their car radios, but the transmission cannot be received in Nannup homes.

Clearly this situation needs to be rectified, and clearly the ABC needs to expand its transmission network so that local communities such as Nannup in the south-west can receive local content radio. The federal government needs to say that it has the power to direct the ABC in operational matters and provide increased funding to facilitate this expansion in its budget forecasts. The ABC has said that if it received increased funding it would be able to provide the expanded service. I must add that offering alternative solutions to Nannup residents is also not suitable. The option for Nannup residents to get ABC south-west radio transmission by streaming through their internet connections is not viable and not fair as it is costly to keep downloading the radio stream. Also, many Nannup residents do not have Foxtel digital and believe that they are entitled to receive ABC free-to-air radio as enjoyed by metropolitan residents.

An upgrade to the Busselton transmission tower could increase access to the local ABC Bunbury radio and allow Nannup and surrounding towns of Balingup, Carlotta and even areas of Bridgetown to receive local content broadcasts. Indeed, upgrading transmission coverage in the south-west is also urgently required to include the town of Collie, which is also in my electorate of Forrest, so that Collie residents can also receive local Bunbury content that ABC south-west radio broadcast. The town of Collie is yet another example of a town on the cusp of receiving the ABC Bunbury broadcast from Busselton but receiving local community content from the town of Albany, 302 kilometres to the south. This is broadcast through the Wagin transmission station located 121 kilometres from Collie, but Collie is closer to Bunbury, only 57 kilometres away, and has much closer ties to the Bunbury community than to Albany.

I note that in January 2007 the previous government announced continued support to fund more than $19 million in 2008-09 to boost the national broadcaster’s capacity to provide locally relevant radio coverage. The previous government was committed to advancing regional interests and ensuring the ABC could continue to provide local content for all Australians to enjoy, regardless of where they live. Nannup is a beautiful little town nestled in the heart of the Blackwood Valley, but is surrounded mostly by state forest, so bush fire warnings are critical. Nannup is a favourite for scenery, particularly forest and nature based pastimes, and it has benefited from a stable economy and minimal development. Times are changing, and Nannup has had to diversify its economic and tourism base to be sustainable.

I seek leave to present this petition.

Leave granted.

The petition read as follows—

To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives assembled in Parliament.

This petition of the citizens of Nannup in Western Australia, draws to the attention of the House that rather than having to listen to radio information emanating from the North West of the state, we, the undersigned residents of Nannup, wish to request that the A.B.C.—south West—Bunbury make every effort to facilitate reception of local content broadcasting to our town.

from 182 citizens.

Petition received.