Closure of Australian Broadcasting Authority's Perth office

19/9/93

The stupidity of the Federal Government's decision to close the Perth office of the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) office in Perth is highlighted by the current wrangle over Radio 6PR.

Services Minister Graham Kierath said the local office of the ABA had been most helpful with the current problems facing the radio station and the closure of the office meant that important local 'hands-on' expertise would disappear.

"Most importantly, with a major overhaul of broadcasting regulations now well under way and the ever quickening pace of change in broadcasting technologies, access to technical and policy expertise within the State is now more crucial than ever before," Mr Kierath said.

"The closure shows that the Keating Government does not understand the needs of the State's broadcasting industry.

"I have written to the Federal Transport and Communications Minister, Senator Collins, asking him to reconsider the situation and suggesting that at least a scaled-down version of the existing office should be retained."

The ABA recently announced that its five staff in Perth would be retrenched, citing budget cuts as the primary reason.

Mr Kierath said that while he could sympathise with the ABA's need to economise, it was obvious that austerity measures were not being fairly applied.

"For example, within a fortnight of announcing the closure of all State branches, the ABA advertised for two completely new positions in its Sydney office, each with remuneration of $116,000 per annum."

The Minister said that WA commercial radio and television broadcasters paid large sums of money to the ABA every year in licence fees and that the Federal Government took more than $11 million alone out of the State as the result of AM to FM conversions of two Perth commercial radio stations.

"If the Perth office closes, it would appear the Federal Government is intent on extracting money from the local industry and giving it little in return," Mr Kierath said.

"It also illustrates clearly that broadcasting issues here are regarded with little importance in Canberra and Sydney.

"In the past, the Perth ABA staff have been of great assistance to the local broadcasting industry and in particular community broadcasters, in solving complex technological and policy dilemmas.

"Removing this important service from the State is a big mistake and will place WA broadcasting matters in the hands of Eastern States bureaucrats with little or no local knowledge."

Media contact:  Brian Coulter 222 9595