Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I provided a dissenting report on this inquiry of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee. The Broadcasting Services Amendment (Material of Local Significance) Bill was my bill, and the bill was introduced because WIN TV in South Australia withdrew its local news bulletins. They said that was for commercial reasons but it is interesting to note that under the Broadcasting Services Act there is a requirement in the eastern states, from Far North Queensland all the way down to Tasmania, for regional broadcasters to have local content. That is an anomaly that this bill would have addressed.

The impact of losing those regional services, those news bulletins, in the Riverland and in the south-east of South Australia was quite profound. For those reasons this is a matter that still needs legislative reform. I have had discussions with Bruce Gordon, the owner of WIN TV—they were very cordial and fruitful discussions—and with Andrew Lancaster, the CEO of WIN TV. I hope they can reconsider their position so that those local news bulletins in the south-east and in the Riverland can be restored at some time in the future because of the important role those services have had in those local communities. I am pleased, as is Senator Ruston, that the ABC has filled some of the gap—but it is still not the same as those local communities in South Australia having their own local half-hour news bulletins.

Question agreed to.