The Nationals Member for Gippsland Darren Chester today welcomed amendments to the Media Reform Package to enhance the ABC’s focus on rural and regional Australia.
The Coalition’s reform package is now before the Senate and seeks to update laws and regulations affecting Australian media organisations.
Mr Chester made special mention of Senator Bridget McKenzie’s proposals included in the package to ensure the ABC gave appropriate attention to the needs of rural and regional communities.
“When Senator McKenzie’s proposals are introduced as Government legislation by the end of this year, the ABC Charter will need to be amended to explicitly require a focus on regional Australia,” Mr Chester said.
The Nationals’ proposals also include:
• the ABC Board to establish a regional advisory council and consult with that council on service changes that will significantly impact regional audiences;
• the board to have at least two non-executive directors with a substantial connection to or experience in a rural or regional community; and
• the ABC’s annual report to detail its regional and metropolitan employee numbers, the ratios of journalists to support staff, and the hours of local rural and regional news broadcast by broadcast area.
“The ABC has been an important and valuable source of news and information for people across Australia, but particularly for those living in regional and remote areas like Gippsland,” Mr Chester said.
“In times of emergency and natural disaster, our regional ABC staff do a magnificent job.
“We want to hear, see and read stories about local people on issues that are important to us. These amendments are designed to ensure more content is sourced from regional Australia, including Gippsland.
“In the past, I’ve voiced my concerns about the ABC spending too much money on senior management positions in Sydney and Melbourne, rather than investing in higher paid staff and the latest equipment in the regions.
”Gippsland is rich in important news and interesting stories and I would like to see more of them shared with a broader audience.”
The attached photo shows The Nationals Member for Gippsland Darren Chester pictured with National Party Senator Bridget McKenzie in Canberra this morning.
