Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I move the local content requirements that are contained in government amendments (13) to (21) on sheet PZ245; amendments (1) to (12) on sheet PZ249; amendment (1) on sheet QS393; amendment (2) on sheet QS391; amendments (1) to (3) on sheet QS395, which are the amendments to government amendment (21) on sheet PZ245; and amendment (1) on sheet QS396, which is the amendment to government amendment(1) on QS393:

Sheet PZ245

(13)  Schedule 2, page 38 (after line 7), after item 1, insert:

1A After paragraph 3(1)(e)

Insert:

           (ea)    to promote the availability to audiences throughout Australia of television and radio programs about matters of local significance; and

(14)  Schedule 2, item 7, page 51 (line 7), before “has”, insert “(except in sections 61CR and 61CS)”.

(15)  Schedule 2, item 7, page 52 (line 29), after “Division”, insert “(other than sections 61CR and 61CS)”.

(16)  Schedule 2, item 7, page 52 (line 30), after “Division”, insert “(other than sections 61CR and 61CS)”.

(17)  Schedule 2, item 7, page 56 (after line 29), at the end of section 61CH, add:

Occurrence of trigger event when ACMA’s decision is pending

        (7)    If:

             (a)    a commercial radio broadcasting licensee gives the ACMA a draft local content plan under section 61CF as the result of the occurrence of a trigger event for the licence; and

             (b)    another trigger event for the licence occurs before the ACMA makes a decision under subsection (1) in relation to the plan;

                 then:

             (c)    the ACMA is taken to have refused to approve the plan; and

             (d)    subsections (5) and (6) do not apply to that refusal.

(18)  Schedule 2, item 7, page 58 (after line 21), at the end of section 61CM, add:

Occurrence of trigger event when ACMA’s decision is pending

        (7)    If:

             (a)    under section 61CK or 61CL, a commercial radio broadcasting licensee gives the ACMA a draft variation of an approved local content plan; and

             (b)    a trigger event for the licence occurs after the receipt of the variation but before the ACMA makes a decision under subsection (1) in relation to the variation;

then:

             (c)    the ACMA is taken to have refused to approve the variation; and

             (d)    subsections (5) and (6) do not apply to that refusal.

(19)  Schedule 2, item 7, page 59 (line 11), omit “Investigations about other”, substitute “Other”.

(20)  Schedule 2, item 7, page 59 (after line 24), at the end of section 61CR, add:

        (4)    This section does not limit the powers conferred on the Minister by section 61CS.

(21)  Schedule 2, item 7, page 59 (after line 24), at the end of Subdivision D, add:

61CS Minister may direct the ACMA to impose licence conditions relating to local content

        (1)    The Minister may give the ACMA a written direction requiring the ACMA to exercise its powers under section 43 to impose conditions requiring regional commercial radio broadcasting licensees to broadcast programs about matters of local significance.

        (2)    The Minister may give the ACMA a written direction requiring the ACMA to exercise its powers under section 43 to impose one or more specified conditions requiring regional commercial radio broadcasting licensees to broadcast programs about matters of local significance.

        (3)    The Minister may give the ACMA a written direction requiring the ACMA to exercise its powers under section 43 to impose conditions requiring a specified regional commercial radio broadcasting licensee to broadcast programs about matters of local significance.

        (4)    The Minister may give the ACMA a written direction requiring the ACMA to exercise its powers under section 43 to impose one or more specified conditions requiring a specified regional commercial radio broadcasting licensee to broadcast programs about matters of local significance.

        (5)    The ACMA must comply with a direction under subsection (1), (2), (3) or (4).

        (6)    This section does not limit the powers conferred on the ACMA by section 43.

61CT Regular reviews of local content requirements

        (1)    At least once every 3 years, the Minister must cause to be conducted a review of the following matters:

             (a)    the operation of section 43B;

             (b)    the operation of this Division;

             (c)    the operation of paragraph 8(2)(c) of Schedule 2;

             (d)    whether section 43B should be amended;

             (e)    whether this Division should be amended;

              (f)    whether paragraph 8(2)(c) of Schedule 2 should be amended.

        (2)    For the purposes of facilitating the conduct of a review under subsection (1), the ACMA must make available information about regional commercial radio broadcasting licensees’ compliance with:

             (a)    licence conditions imposed as a result of section 43B; and

             (b)    licence conditions imposed as a result of an investigation directed under section 61CR; and

             (c)    licence conditions imposed as a result of a direction under section 61CS; and

             (d)    the licence condition set out in paragraph 8(2)(c) of Schedule 2.

        (3)    The Minister may give the ACMA a written direction requiring the ACMA to make available specified information for the purposes of facilitating the conduct of a review under subsection (1).

        (4)    The ACMA must comply with a direction under subsection (3).

        (5)    The Minister must cause to be prepared a report of a review under subsection (1).

        (6)    The Minister must cause copies of a report to be laid before each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days of that House after the completion of the report.

Sheet PZ249

(1)    Schedule 2, item 7, page 50 (line 24), omit paragraph (a) of the definition of designated local content program in section 61CA, substitute:

             (a)    a news bulletin; or

           (aa)    a weather bulletin; or

(2)    Schedule 2, item 7, page 50 (after line 28), after the definition of draft local content plan in section 61CA, insert:

eligible local news bulletins means local news bulletins that meet the following requirements:

             (a)    the bulletins are broadcast on at least 5 days during the week;

             (b)    the bulletins broadcast on each of those days have a total duration of at least 12.5 minutes;

             (c)    the bulletins are broadcast during prime-time hours;

             (d)    the bulletins adequately reflect matters of local significance;

             (e)    none of the bulletins consists wholly of material that has previously been broadcast in the licence area concerned.

eligible local weather bulletins means local weather bulletins that meet the following requirements:

             (a)    the bulletins are broadcast on at least 5 days during the week;

             (b)    the bulletins are broadcast during prime-time hours.

(3)    Schedule 2, item 7, page 50 (line 29) to page 51 (line 1), omit the definition of eligible local news and weather bulletins in section 61CA.

(4)    Schedule 2, item 7, page 51 (after line 14), after the definition of metropolitan licence area in section 61CA, insert:

news bulletin means a regularly scheduled news bulletin.

(5)    Schedule 2, item 7, page 51 (lines 15 and 16), omit the definition of news and weather bulletin in section 61CA.

(6)    Schedule 2, item 7, page 51 (after line 29), after the definition of trigger event in section 61CA, insert:

weather bulletin means a regularly scheduled weather bulletin that is transmitted:

             (a)    as a stand-alone bulletin; or

             (b)    in conjunction with a news bulletin.

(7)    Schedule 2, item 7, page 53 (after line 14), after paragraph 61CD(a), insert:

           (aa)    minimum service standards for local weather; and

(8)    Schedule 2, item 7, page 53 (line 26), omit “and weather”.

(9)    Schedule 2, item 7, page 53 (lines 29 and 30), omit “and weather”.

(10)  Schedule 2, item 7, page 54 (after line 4), after subsection 61CE(2), insert:

Local weather

     (2A)    For the purposes of this Subdivision, a commercial radio broadcasting licensee meets the minimum service standards for local weather during a particular week if, during that week, the number of eligible local weather bulletins broadcast by the licensee is at least the local weather target number.

      (2B)    For the purposes of subsection (2A), the local weather target number is:

             (a)    5; or

             (b)    if the Minister, by legislative instrument, declares that a greater number is the local weather target number—the greater number.

(11)  Schedule 2, item 7, page 57 (after line 13), after subparagraph 61CK(1)(b)(i), insert:

                 (ia)    paragraph 61CE(2B)(b); or

(12)  Schedule 2, item 7, page 59 (after line 4), after section 61CP, insert:

61CPA Licensee must submit annual compliance report

        (1)    This section applies if an approved local content plan for a regional commercial broadcasting radio licence was in force during the whole or a part of a financial year.

        (2)    The regional commercial radio broadcasting licensee must, within 3 months after the end of the financial year, give the ACMA a report about the licensee’s compliance with the approved local content plan during the whole or the part, as the case may be, of the financial year.

        (3)    A report under subsection (2) must:

             (a)    be in a form approved in writing by the ACMA; and

             (b)    set out such information as the ACMA requires.

Sheet QS393

(1)    Schedule 2, item 3, page 40 (after line 10), after section 43B, insert:

43C Local content—regional commercial radio broadcasting licences

        (1)    The ACMA must ensure that, at all times on and after 1 January 2008, there is in force under section 43 a condition that has the effect of requiring the licensee of a regional commercial radio broadcasting licence to broadcast, during daytime hours each business day, at least the applicable number of hours of material of local significance.

Material of local significance

        (2)    The condition must define material of local significance for the purposes of the condition. If a regional commercial radio broadcasting licensee is required to comply with section 61CD, the definition of material of local significance must be broad enough to cover material that the licensee must broadcast in order to comply with that section.

Applicable number

        (3)    For the purposes of the application of subsection (1) to a regional commercial radio broadcasting licence, the applicable number is:

             (a)    4.5; or

             (b)    if the Minister, by legislative instrument, declares that another number is the applicable number for regional commercial radio broadcasting licences generally—the other number; or

             (c)    if:

                   (i)    the Minister, by legislative instrument, declares that another number is the applicable number for a specified class of regional commercial radio broadcasting licences; and

                  (ii)    the regional commercial radio broadcasting licence is included in that class;

                      the other number.

        (4)    The Minister must not declare a number under paragraph (3)(b) or subparagraph (3)(c)(i) that is less than 4.5 unless:

             (a)    the Minister has caused to be conducted a review of:

                   (i)    whether a declaration should be made under paragraph (3)(b) or subparagraph (3)(c)(i) specifying a number that is less than 4.5; and

                  (ii)    if so, the content of the declaration; and

             (b)    the Minister has caused to be prepared a report of the review; and

             (c)    the declaration made by the Minister is in accordance with a recommendation in the report.

Section 43 powers etc.

        (5)    To avoid doubt, this section does not create any obligations under subsection 43(2) that would not exist apart from this section.

        (6)    Subsection 43(5) does not apply to the condition.

        (7)    This section does not limit the powers conferred on the ACMA by section 43 to impose, vary or revoke other conditions.

Definitions

        (8)    In this section:

daytime hours means the hours:

             (a)    beginning at 6 am each day or, if another time is prescribed, beginning at that prescribed time each day; and

             (b)    ending at 6 pm on the same day or, if another time is prescribed, ending at that prescribed time on the same day.

metropolitan licence area means:

             (a)    a licence area in which is situated the General Post Office of the capital city of:

                   (i)    New South Wales; or

                  (ii)    Victoria; or

                 (iii)    Queensland; or

                 (iv)    Western Australia; or

                  (v)    South Australia; or

             (b)    the licence area known as Western Suburbs Sydney RA1.

regional commercial radio broadcasting licence means a commercial radio broadcasting licence that has a regional licence area.

regional licence area means a licence area that is not a metropolitan licence area.

Sheet QS391

(2)    Schedule 2, item 7, page 51 (lines 8 to 14), omit the definition of metropolitan licence area, substitute:

metropolitan licence area means:

             (a)    a licence area in which is situated the General Post Office of the capital city of:

                   (i)    New South Wales; or

                  (ii)    Victoria; or

                 (iii)    Queensland; or

                 (iv)    Western Australia; or

                  (v)    South Australia; or

             (b)    the licence area known as Western Suburbs Sydney RA1.

Sheet QS395

Amendments to government amendments on sheet PZ245

(1)    Amendment (21), paragraph 61CT(1)(a), omit “section 43B”, substitute “sections 43B and 43C”.

(2)    Amendment (21), paragraph 61CT(1)(d), omit “section 43B”, substitute “sections 43B and 43C”.

(3)    Amendment (21), paragraph 61CT(2)(a), after “section 43B”, insert “or 43C”.

Sheet QS396

Amendment to government amendments on Sheet QS393

(1)    Amendment (1), omit subsection 43C(4), substitute:

        (4)    Before 30 June 2007, the Minister must cause to be conducted a review of:

             (a)    whether:

                   (i)    a declaration should be made under paragraph (3)(b); or

                  (ii)    one or more declarations should be made under subparagraph (3)(c)(i); and

             (b)    the number or numbers that should be specified in the declaration or declarations concerned; and

             (c)    in the case of a declaration or declarations under subparagraph (3)(c)(i)—the class or classes that should be specified in the declaration or declarations concerned.

     (4A)    The Minister must cause to be prepared a report of a review under subsection (4).

      (4B)    The Minister must cause copies of a report to be laid before each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days of that House after the completion of the report.

      (4C)    Before the end of whichever of the following periods ends first:

             (a)    the period of 15 sitting days of the House of Representatives after the completion of the report;

             (b)    the period of 15 sitting days of the Senate after the completion of the report;

                 the Minister must:

             (c)    either:

                   (i)    make a declaration under paragraph (3)(b); or

                  (ii)    make one or more declarations under subparagraph (3)(c)(i); and

             (d)    cause a copy of each such declaration to be laid before each House of the Parliament in accordance with section 38 of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003.