CHEC AGANSTDEULNITEIRLY EM9B. A3R0G OPE. DM .
SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER
REGIONAL TELEVISION AUSTRALIA SYDNEY, 5, JUNE 1984
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WELCOME. I PARTICULARLY APPRECIATE
THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT.
JUST OVER TWO MONTHS AGO I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF PRESENTING
THE GOLD LOGIE BEFORE AN AUDIENCE OF TELEVISION PEOPLE FROM
THE CREATIVE SECTOR OF THE INDUSTRYTHIS
EVENING I AM VERY PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO AN
AUDIENCE WHICH REPRESENTS A MAJOR SEGMENT OF THE MANAGEMENT
OF THE TELEVISION INDUSTRY.
AT THE LOGIES I DREW1' ATTENTION TO THE CONSIDERABLE ADVANCES
THAT HAVE BEEN MADE IN VCENT YEARS IN AUSTRALIAN
PROGRAMMING. IT IS VERY ENCOURAGING TO KNOW THAT OF THE
MORE THAN $ 300 MILLION COMMERCIAL TELEVISION SPENT ON
PROGRAMMING IN 1981/ 82 THAT NEARLY 80 PER CENT WAS DIRECTED
To AUSTRALIAN PRODUCTIONS. WE CAN ALL DRAW SOME
SATISFACTION FROM THE FACT THAT LAST FINANCIAL YEAR MORE
THAN 50 PER CENT OF THE PRIME TIME PROGRAMS WERE AUSTRALIAN
MADE. PERHAPS EVEN MORE EXCITING IS THAT OVERSEAS SALES OF
AUSTRALIAN PROGRAMS ARE GROWING STEADILY AS FOREIGN BUYERS
COME TO RECOGNISE THE QUALITY OF OUR LOCAL PRODUCTREGIONAL
TELEVISION AUSTRALIA HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS
WELCOME DEVELOPMENT OF OUR LOCAL PRODUCTION'CAPACITIES AND
TALENT AND I AM AWARE OF ONE OF YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS THROUGH
THE DOCUMENTARY SERIES THE PRIME-MINISTERS FOR WHICH YOU
ALSO DESERVE RECOGNITIONTO
DESCRIBE TELEVISION AS OUR MOST POWERFUL MEDIUM HAS
BECOME SOMETHING OF A CLICHEBUT
THAT SHOULD NOT OBSCURE THE FUNDAMENTAL TRUTH OF THIS
OBSERVATIONCHECK AGAINST DELIVERY
I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE THAT MY PERIOD OF PUBLIC LIFE HAS
COINCIDED WITH THE GROWTH IN INFLUENCE OF YOUR MEDIUM.
TELEVISION OFFERS ALL OF US WHO HAVE INFORMATION OR VIEWS WE
WISH TO PRESENT TO THE PUBLIC A UNIQUE VEHICLE THROUGH WHICH
TO COMMUNICATE OUR CASE.
I RECOGNISE THAT IN THE REGIONAL CITIES AND IN PROVINCIAL
AUSTRALIA YOU PLAY A SPECIAL ROLE IN DISSEMINATING
INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL AND LOCAL NEWS AND COMMENT. IT IS A
ROLE THAT CARRIES WITH IT A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY WHICHI
KNOW YOU ACCEPT IN YOUR APPROACH TO THIS TASKI
NOTED WITH INTEREST THAT YOU PRESENT THE SPECIAL AUDIENCE
THAT REGIONAL TELEVISION CAPTURES AS THE ' FRESH
AUSTRALIANS' THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY BOTH BEFORE AND SINCE WINNING
OFFICE HAS MADE A SPECIAL EFFORT TO COMMUNICATE ITS POLICIES
TO THE PEOPLE LIVING OUTSIDE THE MAJOR METROPOLITAN CITIES.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO, AND I BELIEVE THIS IS REFLECTED IN
THE FACT THAT I HAVE VISITED MORE THAN 20 REGIONAL CENTRES
IN THE LAST 15 MONTHS, ENSURED THAT IT HAS BEEN ACCESSIBLE
AND RESPONSIVE TO THOSE OF YOU LIVING IN NON-METROPOLITAN
AUSTRALIAIN MY OWN EXPERIENCE I HAVE BEEN IMPRESSED NOT JUST WITH THE
COMMITMENT OF REGIONAL TELEVISION STATIONS TO REPORT ON
POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ISSUES BUT ALSO WITH THE QUALITY OF
YOUR COVERAGE OF THESE ISSUES. I K( NOW THAT MANY STATIONS
PROVIDE EQUALLY HIGHgQUALITY CURRENT AFFAIRS, CHILDRENS'I,
VARIETY, COMMUNITY INTEREST AND LOCAL SPORT PROGRAMS. A
FURTHER MEASURE OF YOUR ItOMMITMENT IN THIS AREA IS THE
APPOINTMENT OF A REGIONAL TELEVISION AUSTRALIA JOURNALIST IN
THE PARLIAMENTARY PRESS GALLERY-TO MONITOR AND TO REPORT ON
ISSUES OF SPECIAL INTEREST TO YOUR VIEWERS.
BEFORE DISCUSSING SOME OF THE SPECIFIC INDUSTRY ISSUES YOU
HAVE INDICATED THAT YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO ADDRESS, I AM SURE
YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR BRIEFLY THE GOVERNMENT'S VIEW OF THE
MEDIUM TERM PROSPECTS FOR THE ECONOMY.
YOU ARE ALL AWARE OF THE PRIORITY THE GOVERNMENT HAS
ATTACHED TO A SUSTAINED, LONG-TERM ECONOMIC GROWTH AND THE
CONSEQUENT IMPROVEMENT IN LIVING STANDARDS FOR OUR
COMMUNITY. YOU HAVE SEEN AT FIRST HAND THE REVITALIZATION OF THE RURAL
ECONOMY WITH THE BREAKING OF THE DROUGHT.-WON'T CLAIM
FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS!
OTHER FACTORS HAVE ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE IMPROVED
PERFORMANCE OF THE NON-FARM ECONOMY. BUT THE GOVERNMENT'S
POLICIES, AND PARTICULARLY THE CONTINUED SUCCESSFUL
OPERATION OF THE PRICES AND INCOMES ACCORD, HAVE ALSO HAD A
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN RECENT MONTHS ON GROWTH, EMPOLOYMENT
AND UNEMPLOYMENT, INFLATION, THE GENERAL LEVELS OF CORPORATE
PROFITABILITY AND PROSPECTIVE LOWER WAGE COSTS. THERE ARE
ALSO SOME ENCOURAGING SIGNS OF A PICK-UP [ N BUSINESS
INVESTMENT. IN THE FORTHCOMING BUDGET WE WILL BE BRINGING IN A LOWER
DEFICIT THAN FOR THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR, THUS FURTHER
REDUCING PRESSURES ON THE FINANCIAL MARKETSTHE
UNDERLYING STRENGTH OF THE RECOVERY IS REFLECTED IN THE
LATEST NATIONAL ACCOUNTS STATISTICS RELEASED TODAY:
NON-FARM PRODUCT IN THE MARCH 1984 QUARTER GREW BY
2.4% A REMARKABLE 7.6% ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE
JUNE QUARTER 1983 ( THE TROUGH OF THE RECESSION).
FARM PRODUCT FOR THE MARCH 1984 QUARTER WAS
HIGHER THAN IN THE SAME QUARTER LAST YEAR.
ACTIVITY IN THE HOUSING SECTOR CONTINUED TO BE VERY
STRONG, REGISTERING A 12% GROWTH IN THE QUARTER.
EXPORTS ALSO GREW IMPRESSIVELY By 4% IN THE
QUARTER PARTLY A REFLECTION OF STRONG GROWTH IN
RURAL EXPORTS.
THERE WAS ALSO DURING THE MARCH QUARTER CONTINUED
GROWTH IN PRIVATE CONSUMPTION EXPENDITURE ( 0.7%
AFTER ALLOWING FOR THE ME'DICARE EFFECT) AND STRONG
GROTH N PJVATE FXDINVESTMENT ( NEARLY
FINALLY, NON-FA4 PROFIT SHARE ROSE BY A FURTHER 1%
IN THE QUARTER TO 17.1% RECONFIRMING A RETURN TO
THE LEVELS OF THE EARLY 1970' s.
IT IS CLEAR THAT RECOVERY IS OBVIOUSLY WELL AND TRULY
UNDERWAY. THE GOVERNMENT ATTACHES THE HIGHEST PRIORITY TO
SUSTAINING AND CARRYING FORWARD INTO THE LONG-TERM FUTURE
THE VERY GOOD ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF RECENT MONTHSI
WOULD NOW LIKE TO TURN TO SOME ISSUES OF PARTICULAR
CONCERN TO YOUR INDUSTRY.
AT PRESENT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ISSUES WHICH HAVE OR WILL
HAVE A MAJOR BEARING ON THE FUTURE OF STATIONS OPERATING IN
THE REGIONAL NETWORK. THESE INCLUDE THE MATTERS OF
SATELLITE POLICIES, SUPPLEMENTARY LICENCING, AND THE MORE
GENERAL ISSUE OF REGULATION IN THE INDUSTRY.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF POSITIONS ADOPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT ON
THESE MATTERS ARE VITAL TO THE COMMUNITY. BECAUSE OF THIS I
THINK IT MAY BE HELPFUL AT THIS STAGE FOR ME TO GIVE A
GENERAL INDICATION OF SOME OF THE ASSUMPTIONS THE GOVERNMENT
BRINGS TO THE ISSUES INVOLVED-
GOVERNMENT POLICIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TELEVISION AND
RADIO SERVICES ARE BASED UPON SEVERAL PRINCIPLES WHICH ARE
DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT THE AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY GAINS
MAXIMUM BENEFIT FROM NEW AND EXISTING TECHNOLOGY. THERE IS
A NUMBER OF PARTICULAR PRINCIPLES GUIDING THE GOVERNMENT'S
APPROACH IN THIS AREA:
TO MAXIMISE DIVERSITY OF CHOICE IN RADIO AND
TELEVISION SERVICES, SO THAT ALL AUSTRAIANS HAVE
ACCESS TO AS WIDE A RANGE OF SERVICES AS POSSIBLE;
TO ENCOURAGE AN ' AUSTRALIAN LOOK' FOR T. V. AND
RADIO, BY MAINTENANCE OF AN APPROPRIATE AUSTRALIAN
CONTENT, AND FOSTERING OF AN AUSTRALIAN PRODUCTION
INDUSTRY;
TO DISCOURAGE CONCENTRATION OF MEDIA OWNERSHIP AND
CONTROL OF STATIONS; AND
TO MAINTAIN THE VIABILITY OF THE BROADCASTING
SYSTEM.
CONSISTENT WITH THESE PRINCIPLES, THE GOVERNMENT HAS A
NUMBER OF IMPORTANT OBJECTIVES:
TO BRING A SIMILAR RANGE OF ENTERTAINMENT AND
INFORMATION THROUGH THE BROADCASTING SERVICES TO
ALL AUSTRALIANS ESPECIALLY THOSE CURRENTLY
WITHOUT ANY OR WITH INADEQUATE SERVICES;
TO PROVIDE AROADCASTING SERVICES RELEVANT AND
RESPONSIVE TO LPCAL NEEDS;
TO DEVELOP SERVICES BASED ON SOCIAL NEEDS RATHER
THAN SIMPLY UNCRITICALLY FOLLOWING THE DICTATES OF
NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT; AND
IT IS WITH THESE PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTIVES IN MIND, COMBINED
WITH A FLEXIBLE CONSENSUS APPROACH TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF
DECISIONS, THAT WE HAVE SHAPED OUR POLICIES IN THE
COMMUNICATIONS FIELD.
THE ' INTRODUCTION OF SATELLITES WILL CLEARLY HAVE A PROFOUND
EFFECT ON THE BROADCASTING SYSTEM. FOR A COUNTRY AS LARGE
AND AS SPARSELY SETTLED As AUSTRALIA, THE BENEFITS OF
SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS ARE OBVIOUSTHIS
DOES NOT MEAN, HOWEVER AS YOU WOULD ALL KNOW THAT
THE DECISION TO INTRODUCE AUSSAT WAS A STRAIGHTFORWARD, OPEN
AND SHUT CASE. THE SIMPLE EXISTENCE OF THE TECHNOLOGY WAS
NOT SUFFICIENT TO JUSTIFY ITS USE. THE GOVERNMENT WAS
KEENLY SENSITIVE TO THE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE INTRODUCTION
OF AUSSAT WOULD NEED TO HAVE FULL REGARD FOR THE EXISTING
STRUCTURE OF BROADCASTING IN THIS COUNTRY. FOR THE DECISION
TO PROCEED THE GOVERNMENT ALSO FELT THAT ITS USE WOULD ALSO
HAVE TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF COMMUNITY REQUIREMENTS AND BE
ECONOMICALLY SOUND.
THE SATELLITE PROGRAM SERVICES INQUIRY FLOWS DIRECTLY FROM
THIS DECISION. IT IS A CLEAR EXAMPLE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S
CONCERN THAT THE VIEWS OF ALL SECTORS, AND ESPECIALLY THE
REMOTE COMMUNITIES, SHOULD BE PAID SPECIAL HEED IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THESE SYSTEMSTHIS
INQUIRY BY THE AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING TRIBUNAL HAS
BEEN LOOKING AT TWO BROAD SETS OF ISSUES, WHICH I KNOW ARE
OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO YOUR MEMBERSHIP:
FIRST,, WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE ANY REGULATION
GOVERNING THE PROVISION OF SATELLITE PROGRAM
SERVICES; AND
SECOND, WHAT SHOULD BE DONE TO ENSURE THAT
COMMERCIAL TELEVISION IS PROVIDED TO THOSE 650,000
PEOPLE THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA WHO DO NOT HAVE A
SERVICE.
A CLOSELY RELATED MATTER IS THAT OF DIRECT BROADCASTINGTHIS
RAISES ISSUES WHICH NEED TO BE HANDLED WITH PARTICULAR
CARE. I THINK YOU WOULD ALL RECOGNISE THAT HOUSEHOLDS OUTSIDE THE
RANGE OF REGIONAL C* 4MERCIAL TELEVISION ARE ANXIOUS TO
RECEIVE NOT JUST THE BUT A WIDE RANGE OF COMMERCIAL
SERVICES. FOR THEM DIRACT BROADCASTING WOULD PROVIDE THE
TYPES OF SERVICES THAT VIEWERS IN METROPOLITAN CITIES AND
REGIONAL CENTRES ALREADY TAKE FOR GRANTED. ON THE OTHER
HAND, I FULLY APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERN THAT UNLIMITED DIRECT
BRAODCASTING TO ALL PARTS OF AUSTRALIA WOULD HAVE A SERIOUS
IMPACT ON THE VIABILITY OF REGIONAL, STATIONS AND
CONSEQUENTLY ON LOCAL TELEVISION PROGRAMINGIT
WAS THIS LATTER CONSIDERATION THAT PROMPTED THE MINISTER
FOR COMMUNICATIONS TO ANNOUNCE LATE LAST YEAR THAT THE
GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT AUTHORISE COMMERCIAL DIRECT
BROADCASTING BY SATELLITE AT THAT TIME.
IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, HOWEVER, THE GOVERNME-NT WILL HAVE TO
BRING A FLEXIBLE, PRAGMATIC APPROACH TO THIS ISSUE AN
APPROACH WHICH ADEQUATELY ADDRESSES THE NEEDS OF THE
AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY AT LARGE. THE CURRENT POSITION ON
DIRECT BROADCASTING SHOULD NOT THEREFORE BE SEEN AS EITHER
IRREVOCABLE OR INDEFINITE IN DURATION-ULTIMATELY WE ARE
GOING TO HAVE TO FIND A MEANS OF ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF
THOSE 650,000 AUSTRALIANS WITHOUT ACCESS TO COMMERCIAL
SERVICES. THE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM MUST INITIALLY AWAIT
THE AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING TRIBUNAL's REPORT.
I .1
OUR NON-METROPOLITAN COMMUNITIES ARE THE RICHER AND BETTER
FOR THE CONTRIBUTION MADE BY OUR REGIONAL TELEVISION
STATIONS.
THE GOVERNMENT'S APPROACH IS, THEREFORE, ONE WHICH SEEKS TO
PRESERVE THE BENEFITS OF LOCAL CONTENT OF PROGRAMMING IN
REGIONAL AREAS, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ALLOWING FOR BETTER
DISTRIBUTION OF TELEVISION PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA.
BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CONCEPT OF LOCALISM, THE
GOVERNMENT, THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS,
RECENTLY ESTABLISHED A REVIEW OF LOCALISM IN BROADCASTING
UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF MR JAMES OSWIN. I KNOW THAT THERE
IS SOME WARINESS WITHIN REGIONAL TELEVISON AUSTRALIA THAT
THIS REVIEW MAY IN SOME WAYS WORK AGAINST THE INTERESTS OF
REGIONAL BROADCASTING. I WOULD SIMPLY REITERATE THAT THE
GOVERNMENT'S OBJECTIVE IS TO PROVIDE BROADCASTING SERVICES
RELEVANT TO LOCAL NEEDS.
THE GOVERNMENT IS STRONGLY OF THE VIEW THAT PEOPLE LIVING IN
REGIONAL AREAS SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO A SIGNIFICANT DEGREE OF
LOCAL CONTENT TELEVISION. IT IS, NONETHELESS, AN
INESCAPABLE FACT THAT THE ECONOMICS OF TELEVISION PRODUCTION
HAS BEEN THE GREATEST FACTOR AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE IN
LIMITING THE DEGREE OF LOCAL PROGRAMING BY REGIONAL
TELEVISION STATIONS.
SOME LOCAL PRODUCTIONS HAVE REFLECTED GREAT FLAIR AND
INITIATIVE, AND ARE A REAL CREDIT TO THOSE RESPONSIBLEBUT
I DOUBT THAT ANY, 4WF YOU WOULD ARGUE THAT REGIONAL
PROGRAMING HAS ACHIEVED THE LEVEL OF LOCAL SERVICE WHICH THE
PARLIAMENT ANTICIPATED WA-~ N COMMERCIAL TELEVISION WAS FIRST
INTRODUCED IN REGIONAL AUSTRALIA NEARLY TWENTY-FIVE YEARS
AGO. THIS FACT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED OPENLY AND FRANKLY BY
ALL CONCERNEDANOTHER IMPORTANT SATELLITE RELATED ISSUE IS THAT OF
SUPPLEMENTARY LICENCES. THE SUPPLEMENTARY LICENCE SCHEME IS
ANOTHER COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT DESIGNED TO BRING ABOUT
A GREATER DIVERSITY OF CHOICE FOR VIEWERS IN REGIONAL AREAS.
THE AIM WILL BE TO ENSURE THAT THIS BE DONE WITHOUT
AFFECTING THE VIABILITY OF CURRENT OPERATORSIAM
AWARE THAT THERE IS A VIEW WITHIN THE INDUSTRY THAT THE
SUPPLEMENTARY LICENCE PROCEDURE SHOULD BE SIMPLIFIED AND
SPEEDED UP. I SHOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT THE MINISTER FOR
COMMUNICATIONS, MR DlUFFY VERY RECENTLY UNDERTOOK A REVIEW OF
THE PROCESS TO SEE WHETHER THERE WERE ANY STEPS WHICH COULD
BE TAKEN TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS. HE WAS CONVINCED THERE
WERE NO PRACTICAL AND LAWFUL ALTERNATIVES, SHORT OF MAJOR
LEGISLATIVE CHANGESQUITE
CLOSELY LINKED TO THE MATTER OF SUPPLEMENTARY LICENCES
IS THE MATTER OF DEFINING SERVICE AREAS-I AM PLEASED TO
SAY THAT THIS IS GOING AHEAD SMOOTHLY, THANKS IN PART TO THE
CO-OPERATION OF REGIONAL TELEVISION AUSTRALIA MEMBERS AND
OTHERS. THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE GIVING PRIORITY TO THOSE
AREAS WHICH HAVE BEEN SINGLED OUT AS BEING OF PARTICULAR
INTEREST BY APPLICANTS FOR A SUPPLEMENTARY LICENCEFINALLY
THERE IS THE ISSUE OF REGULATION, AND I RECOGNISE
THAT THIS IS A MATTER OF CONTINUING SENSITIVITY WITHIN YOUR
INDUSTRY. LET ME ASSURE YOU THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO
COMMITMENT TO REGULATION FOR THE SAKE OF REGULATION-OUR
DISTINCT PREFERENCE WOULD BE FOR CO-OPERATIVE APPROACHES
WHICH PAY DUE REGARD TO CLEAR, ALBEIT EVOLVING, COMMUNITY
ATTITUDES AND EXPECTATIONS.
IN THIS REGARD I AM DELIGHTED BY THE CO-OPERATION THAT IS
TAKING PLACE BETWEEN THE COMMERCIAL NETWORK CHANNEL 10 AND
THE A. B. C. OVER TELEVISION COVERAGE OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES.
THIS IS NOT ONLY A REFRESHING DEVELOPMENT AND ONE THAT I
WOULD HOPE WOULD BE THE NORM FROM NOW ON, BUT IT ALSO IT
REPRESENTS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT NEEDED IF BROADRANGING
COMMUNITY INTERESTS ARE TO BE ADEQUATELY AND EFFECTIVELY
PROVIDED FOR.
THE AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING TRIBUNAL HAS JUST RELEASED NEW
CHILDREN IS AND PRE-SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN IS TELEVISION PROGRAM
AND ADVERTISING STANDARDS. REVISED STANDARDS TO BE
DETERMINED DURING THE NEXT 12 MONTHS WILL INCLUDE
ADVERTISING TIME STANDARDS, RELIGIOUS PROGRAM STANDARDS,
AUSTRALIAN CONTENT STANDARDS AND PROGRAM CLASSIFICATION
STANDARDS. WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAI INDUSTRY AND COMMUNITY BODIES BE
CLOSELY CONSULTED IN THESE MATTERS. THIS IS PROVIDED FOR BY
WELL ESTABLISHED PROCEDURESIT
REMAINS THE GOVERNMENT's PREFERENCE NONETHELESS, THAT THE
INDUSTRY CONTINUE TO REGULATE ITSELF AS IT HAS DONE THROUGH
A NUMBER OF BODIES SUCH As FACTS, THE MEDIA COUNCIL, THE
ADVERTISING STANDARDS COUNCIL AND THE ADVERTISING INDUSTRY
COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA. IN MOST CASES SELF-REGULATION OF THIS
KIND HAS BEEN SUFFICIENT AND ACCEPTABLE TO ALL PARTIES.
THERE IS NO INTRINSIC REASON WHY CO-OPERATIVE APPROACHES OF
THIS KIND SHOULD NOT PREVAIL-IN THE DUAL SYSTEM OF
GOVERNMENTAL OVERSIGHT AND INDUSTRY SELF-REGULATION WHICH
NOW APPLIES, THE DECISIONS WHICH EMERGE SEEM GENERALLY
WORKABLE AND WELL BALANCED.
THE COMMUNICATIONS ENVIRONMENT IS CHANGING RAPIDLY. THE
TASK BEFORE ALL OF US IS TO MANAGE THAT CHANGE IN A WAY THAT
ACCOMMODATES THE VARIOUS INTERESTS CONCERNED AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY, PROVIDES THE SERVICES NEEDED BY THE COMMUNITY
AT LARGE-
DECISIONS THAT HAVE TO BE TAKEN WILL INEVITABLY CAUSE SOME
PARTIES TO BE LESS THAN TOTALLY SATISFIED. BUT IN THE
LONG-TERM I BELIEVE THAT THE AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING SYSTEM
AS A WHOLE BENEFITS FORM THE STABILITY OF APPROACH ADOPTED
BY THIS GOVERNMENT.
WE RELY ON THE ASSISTANCE OF ORGANISATIONS SUCH AS YOUR OWN
AND I TRUST THAT THE CO-OPERATIVE SPIRIT YOU HAVE SHOWN WILL
CONTINUE AS, TOGETHER, WE STRIVE TO PROVIDE THE BEST
POSSIBLE BROADCASTING SYSTEM FOR ALL AUSTRALIANS.