Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The Australian Greens will be supporting Senator Xenophon's amendment. I did listen to Senator Macdonald's contribution because I guess the committee stage is precisely so that these sorts of questions can be asked of the movers of amendments. For Senator Macdonald's benefit, a similar situation prevails in regional Western Australia. These networks have to be heavily regulated or they would barely exist at all—whether it be broadcast radio or broadcast television. Quite a strong framework of legislation remains in place around things like local content and the media regulations that were in part installed by a former iteration of your government, Senator Macdonald. My understanding of the amendments that Senator Xenophon has brought forward is that the very regulatory framework that prevails in regional Queensland, which does provide for a measure of local content—news, current affairs and so on—is lacking in the parts of regional Australia that Senator Xenophon has highlighted. This amendment will go some way towards enforcing a similar measure of regulation.

In a country as heavily urbanised as Australia it means that the representation that comes into this place will be predominantly representing urban or peri-urban electorates. I think it is important we keep in mind that, in regional areas, locally produced regional media can be a tremendously important voice. And that is partly why we stand up so strongly for regional ABC broadcasters—because, in some instances, commercial players simply cannot maintain that service. So we will be supporting this amendment when it is committed to a vote.