Guy Barnett (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the document.

In doing so, I refer to the importance of this report into the review of the local content requirements for regional commercial radio. Many senators and members in this place will be aware that last night in this Parliament House in Canberra the federal Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, lit up digital radio for the commercial radio players in this city of Canberra. It commenced last night in Canberra at the push of a button by Senator Conroy on behalf of the federal government. You have to be pleased for the people of Canberra as a result of that. This was a trial area. They had success in gaining support for the commencement of digital radio in the city of Canberra.

This was on the back of a decision made two years ago by the government, together with members of commercial radio, that the capital cities of mainland Australia should be granted digital radio status. It was in about mid 2009, May or June, when digital radio came to the cities of Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. They are pleased. I am pleased that those cities and their residents have gained access to digital radio, with all the benefits that it provides. But what happened to Tasmania? Are we not a state of Australia? Are we not part of the federation? This government continues blindly on, in seeming disregard of the people of Tasmania. They are treating us as second-class citizens. This is not good enough.

I have been lobbying for two years to make sure that the people of Hobart—where I lived for many years; I live in Launceston now—the capital city of Tasmania, do not continue to miss out. Trials took place after the initial launches for the mainland capital cities. There was an investigation of rural Australia. Canberra won that. Well done, Canberra, but what about Tasmania? I would like to know what steps the state government of Tasmania has made in approaching the federal government to ask to please make it happen in Tasmania. We have been left off the map far too many times. It is not good enough.

I am aware that Senator Conroy and the federal government have supported the establishment of commercial digital radio in Canberra. Good luck to the residents of Canberra, but what about Tasmania? Tasmania is a federated state of the Commonwealth of Australia. What about the state of Tasmania? Frankly, the federal government should be entirely embarrassed about this. Senator Conroy, you will no doubt be fully aware of and have been enjoying digital radio in all of the capital cities on the mainland. But the next time that you are in Tasmania, when you get to Hobart digital radio will not be there, because you have not lifted a finger.

I have raised this with some of the commercial radio entities in Tasmania and, indeed, the head of the ABC in Tasmania. But it has not happened as yet. It requires support from commercial radio. I am aware of that. But what has the federal government done to support and encourage the establishment of digital radio in Tasmania? I suspect that they have not much or nothing, because we have not seen it. We have been without for two long years. There is a very strong and heavy focus on television under this government, but not much of a focus on radio. I call on the minister to have another look at this; to reconsider this matter. A report came out at the end of 2010, but it has not been released. I call on him to release that report, make it available and make it clear what is in that report and what it says about Tasmania. The people of Tasmania have a right to know. I seek leave to continue my remarks.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.