Value Our Voices - please minister!

The community broadcasting sector conducted a strong campaign in support of increased Australian Government funding support, and the addressing of pressing sector policy issues, in the run-up to the 2007 Federal election. Sector representative organisations, stations and broadcasters sent thousands of letters and emails to candidates, sitting members and relevant Ministers and Shadow Ministers during the campaign (for further details see (www.valueourvoices.org). 

During the campaign neither the ALP nor the Coalition released a Communications Policy before polling day.  The ALP's commitment under its Arts policy of $2.4m. over four years for the continuation of the Australian Music Radio Airplay Project was a very welcome but singular result.
 
One day prior to the Federal election the then Shadow Minister for Communications, Senator Stephen Conroy addressed a plenary session of the 2007 CBAA Conference in Melbourne and gave a commitment to meet with sector representatives to discuss a resolution to the pressing issue of community television access to digital spectrum and other issues of concern to the community broadcasting sector. Senator Conroy proved true to his word and on Friday 14 December, as the recently appointed Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, he met with representatives of the community broadcasting sector in several successive sessions to discuss a range of policy matters and funding issues.  In one of those meetings representatives of the CBF, CBAA, NEMBC, AICA, RPH Australia and Christian Media Australia sought the Minister's support for a new policy proposal for a significant increase in federal funding support within the context of the 2008/09 Budget.
 
Unfortunately we did not receive the response that we had worked so hard toward. Minister Conroy informed us that he would not be putting forward any new policy proposals within the 2008/09 Budget process as, given its concern with fiscal rectitude, a Cabinet decision had been taken to limit new funding in 2008/09 to commitments made within the 2007 election campaign. Further consideration will be given to community broadcasting sector needs in the 2009/10 Budget cycle.  This is a vastly disappointing development given what we consider to be the strength of our case, supported as it was by a wealth of research and the recommendations of the bi-partisan HRSCITA Inquiry.  Our delegation also raised our concern with the Minister that this position would not only condemn the sector to the same inadequate level of Australian Government funding support for a further year or more but also potentially reduce that support considerably as we are in the final year of a four-year funding commitment for the National Training Project.  Minister Conroy indicated that as the NTP was existing funding support, he would consider options for continued Government assistance for the NTP.

Read the 'Value Our Voices' submission - click here.