Dr WEBSTER (Mallee) (12:35): I rise to speak on the Communications Legislation Amendment (Regional Broadcasting Continuity) Bill 2024. Mildura and the wider Sunraysia region are ground zero for the vanishing future of regional free-to-air television broadcasting, which is in stark contrast to the trailblazing position Labor claimed Mildura held back in 2010—more on that in a moment. The 1 July closure of Mildura Digital Television Pty Ltd and, thereby, the transmission of Channel 10 and affiliate channel content must become a critical juncture for regional television in our nation, and it demands more than a bandaid. Regional Australians need and deserve a comprehensive long-term strategy to secure sustainable regional broadcasting.

Mildura residents can no longer watch Channel 10 or its Bold and Peach channels on free-to-air television, as Mildura Digital Television has now shut down. MasterChef is off the menu, and Mildura is sadly and undeservedly in The Cheap Seats. One constituent who rang my office was quite emotional. No longer will she be able to watch The Bold and the Beautiful.

The sad reality of this unwanted first is that, in 2010, the Sunraysia region welcomed the then communications minister Stephen Conroy, who read out the countdown for gathered media as Sunraysia became the first region in Australia to switch from analogue to digital. On board the PS Mundoo paddleboat—a fabulous paddleboat in the Mildura region—Minister Conroy, on loudspeaker over the phone, told technician Rob Kovac at Yatpool to flick the switch to switch off the analogue signal. As the analogue screen flicked to white noise, Minister Conroy then said, 'Today, Mildura makes history again as it becomes the first region in Australia to make the switch to digital-only TV.' How sad that just 14 years later Mildura takes the unwanted first of being the first in the nation to switch off a digital TV signal. Indeed, Sunraysia residents are now the first in the country to cease having access to one of the nation's five major television channels. It's little wonder that the Labor spin doctors have called this bill a continuity bill. The only continuous thing from this government is weakness, incompetence and robbing regions to buy votes in the inner cities.

I raised the alarm about Mildura Digital Television's decision when I first heard about it in early May. I wrote to the communications minister, Minister Rowland, asking for assistance or intervention, bearing in mind that some of our older viewers may not have had the TV to access the digital alternative or may not have the digital literacy to do so. The panellists on The Project expressed similar concerns on Sunday night. I also spoke to both WIN, who co-own the Mildura digital TV operation, and Channel 10. In a peculiar arrangement, 10 are powerless to stop their programs from going off air due to a decision by the co-owners of MD TV's affiliates, Seven and Nine.

A constituent wrote to me about the loss of Channel 10 locally. She said:

As a long-time viewer, I am deeply distressed by this decision, as it impacts not only me but also many other residents in the area who rely on Channel Ten for news, entertainment and community connection.

Another constituent told me:

If they let Channel Ten close its services to Mildura, it will cause a cascade of changes across all networks—

how true. They said:

Look at the banks, one closes in a small area and others follow.

My partner and I often watch 10 when we come home from a long day.

The second constituent is right about a cascade of changes that will follow, as we saw with bank branches. Free TV Australia has called for reform to establish a stable, long-term footing for regional television broadcasting. As regional Australians begin to lose access to television services, the availability of local trusted news, local advertising opportunities for regional businesses and Australian content in regional areas are all under threat. Most regrettably, Mallee knows this all too well. Mallee has not one single television journalist or news service presented in the region. I remind the House that that is over one-third of the geographical area of Victoria. On the Mildura Digital Television shutdown, Free TV CEO Bridget Fair told ABC Mildura-Swan Hill: 'This has been a long time coming and the government has been aware of it, so they should have maybe had a bit more time to come up with a plan.'

Mr Coleman: Four days.

Dr WEBSTER: Yes; four days is all we got. This bill before the House today merely allows Mildura viewers the option of installing a satellite dish—at their own expense—to receive the remote area VAST service to continue receiving Network 10 services. The Sunraysia Daily, a local newspaper, generously called the minister's bill 'a last-ditch effort to provide access to the Channel 10 broadcast'. Sure, this bill gives Mildura residents what you could describe as a technical option to replace their lost services, but it is neither a fair nor reasonable solution. The cost of a new satellite installation, which is up to $800, is simply not realistic for many Australians, especially in a cost-of-living crisis.

Without urgent substantive action by the government, more regional digital transmission areas are likely to cease. Over the past five years, regional broadcasting has been the subject of numerous detailed government reviews, but we still have no plan from the Albanese Labor government to ensure a long-term sustainability of this critical media sector.

Regional commercial broadcasters spend millions on local content every year and comply with significant local news content quotas that do not apply to any other platform. In the financial year 2023, they spent $35 million on local news bulletins—$5 million more than the previous year. Regrettably, Mallee voters don't see the benefit of that as there are no local commercial TV news journalists or bulletins. Even so, while Mildura has taken the first hit in this latest round of signal closures, this is about regional Australia because the Nationals stand for regional Australia. All commercial television broadcasters also comply with additional regulatory requirements, such as the 55 per cent Australian content obligation and accessibility requirements.

Despite the public interest benefits they deliver, Australian commercial television broadcasters pay the highest spectrum taxes in the world—known as the commercial broadcasting tax here in Australia. This tax is a significant impost on regional broadcasters' ability to fund content and infrastructure costs. The commercial broadcasting tax was introduced as a temporary measure in 2017 and, as the shadow minister has outlined, should have been abandoned years ago.

Solutions to keeping the lights on for regional TV are squarely in the hands and control of the Albanese Labor government. The coalition did its part during COVID-19 with the Public Interest News Gathering program, or PING, to help regional media, including regional television, to apply for grants totalling $50 million in value to help with staff wages, training technology or website upgrades. The coalition also provided spectrum tax-fee relief for 12 months to assist the regional media sector from 2020 to 2021.

Regional television now needs direct funding support for markets where services are not commercially viable. Regional and remote communities are now faced with the equivalent of a mobile black spot—call it a 'broadcasting black spot', if you like. The federal government provides funding for commercial telecommunications operators to ensure locals can receive their signal, yet this government has not ensured that regional Australians can continue to have access to high-quality TV services.

Regional broadcasters know their audiences love local news, community stories and sport, and that local businesses need regional TV to reach local customers. Without the government's long-term support, more services are at risk and the social and economic benefits for regional Australia will be lost.

Let me touch on the role of the ABC. As some members might be thinking, they are there to fill gaps like the one created by the demise of Mildura Digital Television and the Channel 10 signal in Sunraysia. The ABC's resourcing in regional Australia is problematic. One of the upsides of commercial broadcasters is that they get direct feedback on profit-and-loss statements, whether their content is fit for purpose and whether their local regional audiences like what they're broadcasting. If advertisers love your local content, they will advertise. If they hate it, they stop paying the bill. It is the best market-driven way of ensuring accountability to your local audience. Arguably, the ABC lacks that form of direct accountability, so the ABC is not adequate as the fallback solution.

I met with Minister Rowland's advisers last week alongside the shadow minister for communications, David Coleman, about the Mildura situation. Despite our efforts, Mildura Digital Television is committed to their closure decision, as we know—it's happened—saying the federal government's commercial broadcasting tax was a major contributing factor. For Channel 10 viewers in Mildura, the signal went off air on 30 June. The coalition is committed to reforming our television arrangements. Shadow minister Coleman and I have discussed policies to support regional broadcasting, including the abolition of the commercial broadcasting tax. In 2023, TV broadcasters were forced to pay over $44 million for this tax that disproportionately affects regional broadcasters, as he outlined. Eliminating this tax will allow broadcasters to invest more in local staff and programs for regional communities.

The Albanese Labor government yet again is robbing regions to buy votes in the inner cities, leaving regional Australia to wither on the vine. The Prime Minister's weak leadership sees the surging power of Meta, Google and social media platforms going unchecked, pushing their content and ideological agenda onto Australians as their primary source of entertainment and news. These foreign giants' unchecked market power is also a major factor in commercial TV's struggle for advertising revenue. Indeed, Bridget Fair, the Free TV Australia CEO, also told ABC Radio in Mildura: 'We've got more competition for eyeballs. Obviously, people are watching streaming and other services, and our services are required to be funded by advertising dollars.' As that becomes more difficult to generate with more competition, it means there will be more challenges for regional television operations.

The coalition has led the way on holding the social media giants to account, establishing the eSafety Commissioner and putting forward reforms to control online content in the national interest, proposing age verification to protect children online. The communications minister has only recently realised the need for action. As the Mildura Digital TV shutdown date loomed, one Mallee resident said: 'Country people need to be able to source information and programs from all free-to-air channels. Surely the government can ensure these things are freely available to not only city but country people. Once again, we are the forgotten electors.' The right to access reliable news, local stories and entertainment should not be a privilege based on geography. The digital divide between city and country must be addressed to guarantee that all Australians, regardless of where they live, have equitable access to the same television services.

The Albanese Labor government's neglect of regional Australians is glaring. The needs and rights of regional Australians cannot continue to be overlooked. It is a matter of equity—something this government talks a lot about. The government has a responsibility to ensure that regional communities are not left behind, particularly in an era where information is power. The closure of Mildura Digital Television is a stark reminder of the disparities that still exist. We must ensure that regional voices are heard and that the essential services they rely on are protected and sustained.

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