Stirling Griff (SA, Centre Alliance) Share this | Hansard source

Centre Alliance supports the Communications Legislation Amendment (Regional and Small Publishers Innovation Fund) Bill 2017 and welcomes the establishment of the innovation fund to provide $50 million in grants to regional and small publishers.

I pause here to emphasise that this bill forms just one part of a broader $60 million jobs and innovation package negotiated by us, with each measure designed to support the future of public interest journalism. In addition to the innovation fund we have secured 60 scholarships, valued at the $40,000 each, to enable regional journalism students to undertake journalism training. We've also secured funding for 200 cadetships over two years through the Regional and Small Publishers Cadetship Program, and I note that between 80 and 90 places will be reserved for regional publishers each year. Each measure is designed to support development, growth and continued innovation in Australian civic journalism.

The consideration of this bill is timely, given that last week we celebrated the 25th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day—a day to reflect upon the role journalism plays in ensuring the transparency of the political process and the accountability of state institutions towards the public. But while this role of accountability is not new, today's journalists and publishers must adapt to the changing media landscape. It was in March 2018 that the final report of the Select Committee on the Future of Public Interest Journalism highlighted the difficulties faced by the media in light of the rapid pace and scale of new forms of delivery and technology platforms being developed.

The evidence revealed that many traditional media print companies, even some of our largest and longest-running media organisations, have struggled to adapt to these changes and were yet to develop sustainable business models. These difficulties are further compounded for small and regional publishers. Regional publishers provide vital news coverage to communities scattered across vast areas, all without the established infrastructure of their metropolitan peers. Small publishers, on the other hand, pursue stories that for a variety of reasons may not appeal to the established media players, all while operating with very minimal staff.

Journalists, editors, photographers and others at small regional publishers are undoubtedly a determined and resilient group. They have demonstrated time and time again that their work makes a meaningful contribution to public debate on both the local and national levels. Yet we know that without support this valuable voice could be lost, and that the communities these publishers serve will be very much the lesser for it.

The innovation fund provides an opportunity for publishers to reflect upon their needs and to improve the sustainability of their organisation. It will enable small and regional publishers to apply for a grant for funding. This may include the purchase of a particular piece of technology or equipment; funding a program or an initiative that is intended to promote civic journalism; developing an application for the delivery of news; or training and upskilling staff. The list of possible approved funding projects is deliberately broad to enable ACMA and the publisher to work together to craft a funding agreement tailored to the unique requirements of each publisher and the community that they serve. Publishers will need to meet a primary purpose test whereby ACMA is satisfied that the publisher produces civic and public interest journalism with an Australian perspective.

I want to pause here and discuss the notion of public interest journalism for a moment. While the report of the Senate select committee noted the wide range of activities that public interest journalism encompasses, it can be, in my view, narrowed down to a handful of key principles: integrity, accountability, quality and independence. Journalism of this nature aims to provide the public with a considered analysis and to ensure that all citizens are provided with the opportunity to make informed decisions on current political, economic and social issues. Research has shown that this is particularly true of regional and small publishers, where the close links between the publisher and the community lead to deliberations and discussions, which in turn encourage civic participation. These publishers have the ability to empower and improve their communities, and there should be no doubt that these organisations are worthy of this investment.

Returning to the grant criteria, additional criteria include: an annual turnover threshold of not less than $300,000 and not more than $30 million; an Australian residence test; an independence test; a control test; being a member of the Australian Press Council or having a robust and transparent complaints process; and having in place editorial guidelines and a code of conduct or similar framework relating to the provision of quality journalism. While the grant criteria are not included in the legislation, we do not view this as a barrier to the bill being passed. The grant criteria as set out in the explanatory memorandum have been publicly available since late last year, with a comprehensive information sheet made available on the Department of Communications and the Arts website.

The bill empowers the minister to constitute an advisory committee for the purpose of assisting the ACMA in the allocation and assessment of grants. The minister has already indicated to Centre Alliance that the terms of the agreement reached will be honoured, including the establishment of the foreshadowed advisory committee. The memorandum notes that it is expected the committee is to comprise at a minimum a representative appointed from each of the Australian Press Council, the Walkley Foundation and Country Press Australia. I note the comments of the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee report and acknowledge the wealth of experience these organisations have in relation to news, journalism and other media-related content and their willingness to assist the ACMA in assessing the merits of any application for funding.

While we are confident that the government will honour the broader policy behind the agreement, we put the government on notice that the allocation of funds and the application of the criteria will be closely monitored by Centre Alliance. The ACMA's annual reports will be carefully scrutinised and we will fully utilise the Senate estimates process to ensure the funds are being applied in a manner consistent with the eligibility criteria negotiated and agreed to by the government.

I think it's important to make clear that this bill is not a comment on the role of public broadcasters. Centre Alliance does and will continue to support an appropriately funded ABC and SBS. There can be no doubt on this issue. I also put the government on notice that we will not at all support effective cuts to the ABC, as proposed in the budget last night. We will not support them.

We do recognise the challenges faced by small and regional publishers in a changing media environment. The policy intent behind the innovation fund is to ensure the longevity of these publishers through funding measures targeted to develop sustainable business models. The report of the Senate Select Committee on the Future of Public Interest Journalism acknowledged that government investment in public interest journalism is clearly a worthwhile one. In a submission to the select committee, Dr Bill Birnbauer of Monash University noted that a Harvard University study found:

… for every $1 spent on a specified investigative story, $287 in policy benefits resulted.

That is a staggering return on investment. The innovation fund does represent a significant investment in public interest journalism in Australia.

Again, the fund is just one aspect of a $60 million package negotiated by us, with both the cadetship and scholarship programs supporting the next generation of journalists. As Walkley Award-winning journalist and academic Margaret Simons said:

If experienced journalists are to be employed, to find things out, if journalists are to be developed and trained, if institutional cultures are to be built to support them in their dirty, vital work, then there must be money …