Steve Georganas (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 23 September last month we reached a real milestone: the 50th anniversary of the Whitlam government cabinet decision to establish community broadcasting. This was a landmark moment for Australian media. It enabled the flourishing of the community broadcasting sector that supports all Australians to have their voices heard and interests catered for on the airways. Fifty years on, the community broadcasting sector today delivers over 500 AM/FM and DAV+ services and two dedicated television stations—Channel 44 in South Australia and Channel 31 in Victoria. These services reach over 5.19 million people across Australia each week. Almost a quarter of Australia's population tunes in to one of the services.

In my home state and in my electorate of Adelaide we have an amazing community radio stations, including Radio Adelaide, Three D Radio, 5EBI, 5RPH, Coast FM, and I am proudly the ambassador of Coast FM. Then we have a whole array of different language radio stations: Radio Italiano, Fresh FM, Greek Radio ENA, Doriforus Radio, just to name a few. These great organisations are predominantly staffed by dedicated volunteers, they are great ambassadors for the community and I, for one, think we are a richer society for the small investment we make in community radio.

I have been lucky to speak on Coast FM on a regular basis. As I said, I am the ambassador for Coast FM in my electorate. I am on Coastal every few weeks with the announcer Dave Hearn, where we talk about everything politics in the week or month that was. It is very non-political; it is basically a report of what is taking place in this place up here. It is a wonderful program. I am pleased to appear on the program every few weeks. Dave Hearn, the announcer, is an example of what most community radio announcers are. Dave is a former police officer turned DJ and has had over 15 years experience on the air with Coast FM and other community radio stations.

I also want to pay tribute to the community radio station Radio Italiano, which I am a regular on with John di Fedi. There is 5EB FM, which has a whole array of different languages; Radio Doriforos is also in my electorate, a Greek radio station that does great work in the ethnic communities. Their hard work and dedication are of great benefit to the community. This was particularly the case with COVID and they should be proud of that. Happy 50th birthday community broadcasting.