House of Reps questions on NewsRadio and Community stations

Questions in the House of Representatives this week have revealed that ABC NewsRadio will be rolled out as a matter of priority to Ballarat, Bendogo and Goulburn, but the timing is still up in the air.

ACMA intends to issue tenders for frequency planning of NewsRadio services very soon.

MHR Mr Gibbons asked the Minister representing the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts 5 questions about ABC and Community radio licences:


(1) When will the Australian Broadcasting Authority’s (ABA) NewsRadio planning for the Ballarat, Bendigo and Goulburn
Valley transmission areas be completed.

(2) Is the Minister aware that there is a very strong community push for Maryborough to have its own community radio station.

(3) Is the Minister also aware that the Maryborough community has raised sufficient funds for the establishment of its own
community radio station.

(4) Can the Minister confirm that Lawrence Derrick & Associates, an approved ABA Radio Engineering Consultant and Radio
Frequency Spectrum Assigner, identified an available frequency; if so, can the Minister explain why the expectation
that a Temporary Community Broadcasting licence (TCBL) would be granted was not met.

(5) Would the Minister reconsider the granting of a TCBL to Strengthening Goldfields Community Radio Inc. (SGCR) on
condition that (a) if there is any interference to other radio frequencies that SGCR would cease transmission and (b) following
the completion of the NewsRadio planning, SGCR could be moved to a new frequency if necessary.

MHR Mr McGauran, representing the Communications Minister replied:

(1) The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), formed by the merger of the Australian Communications
Authority and ABA on 1 July 2005, has prepared a request for tender (RFT) for the planning of FM radio frequencies for
the extension of the ABC NewsRadio service in approximately 38 areas including Ballarat, Bendigo and Goulburn Valley.

This RFT is expected to be issued at the end of July 2005 with the contract awarded by ACMA in August or September
2005. Frequency planning for each area will be scheduled with regard to priorities indicated to ACMA by the ABC. The
ABC has included these three areas in its list of high priority areas.

Due to the spectrum congestion in the area and resultant complexity of this task it is not possible at this stage to give firm
timing for completion of this planning.

(2) Yes.

(3) No information suggesting that SGCR has raised sufficient funds for the establishment of its own community radio station
had been raised with me prior to this question being lodged.

(4) Any frequency identified by consultants to SGCR as potentially available for a TCBL may also be suitable for a low to
medium power ABC NewsRadio service in the area. It will not be possible to assess frequency availability for SGCR, until
such time as planning has been completed for ABC NewsRadio services in this region.

(5) (a) and (b) ACMA is responsible for granting a temporary community broadcasting licence.