Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, upon notice, on 22 September 2011:

(1) How many hours of the Western Australian Football League (WAFL) has the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) broadcast in each of the following financial years and what was the production cost in each year:

(a) 2007-08;

(b) 2008-09;

(c) 2009-10; and

(d) 2010-11.

(2) How many hours of WAFL does the ABC plan to broadcast in each of the following financial years and what is the projected cost in each year:

(a) 2011-12;

(b) 2012-13; and

(c) 2013-14.

(3) Does the ABC have any formal plans to reduce the hours of broadcast of WAFL football.

(4) Does the ABC have any formal plans to stop the live telecast of WAFL games.

(5) If the ABC has no formal plans to reduce hours or stop live broadcasts, what discussions have occurred at management level about potential changes to WAFL broadcasting.

(6) What sporting events played in Western Australia, apart from the WAFL, does the ABC currently telecast on a regular basis.

(7) What local Western Australian sports will be broadcast by ABC television if WAFL is no longer broadcast live.

(8) How many hours of programming has the ABC produced in Western Australia in each of the following financial years and what was the production cost in each year:

(a) 2007-08;

(b) 2008-09;

(c) 2009-10; and

(d) 2010-11.

(9) How many hours of programming does the ABC expect to produce in Western Australia in each of the following financial years and what is the projected cost in each year:

(a) 2011-12;

(b) 2012-13; and

(c) 2013-14.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The answer to the honourable senator's question is as follows:

(1) The ABC has broadcast the following hours of the Western Australian Football League (WAFL) in each of the following financial years:

(2) The ABC negotiates sporting contracts on a regular basis. The ABC is presently in negotiation with WAFL with regard to the coverage of the 2012 and 2013 seasons.

(3) Please see response to (2) above.

(4) Please see response to (2) above.

(5) Please see response to (2) above.

(6) The ABC has recently televised the following events played in WA:

(7) Please see responses at (2), (4) and (6) above.

(8) Total amount of programming hours produced in WA in each financial year and the corresponding cost to the ABC was as follows:

Television Production Plans - Produced in WA - Forecast (including facilities)

Financial Year Total Hrs Total Forecast (Cash + Labour + Facilities - Revenue)

(9) The ABC is presently in negotiations with WAFL with regard to the coverage of the 2012 and 2013 seasons. ABC TV expects to commission a similar level of program hours across other genres as per 2011.