House debates

Monday, 20 October 2014

Constituency Statements

Paterson Electorate: Digital Technology

10:33 am

Photo of Bob BaldwinBob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry) Share this | | Hansard source

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I rise today to provide an update on the No. 1 local issue impacting my constituents across the length and breadth of my electorate of Paterson—unreliable digital television reception.

Before the switch-over from analogue to digital technology in November 2012, I warned the previous government that existing self-help transmitters would have to be upgraded and new transmitters installed across my electorate to ensure viewers would continue to receive reliable television reception. My lobbying to Regional Broadcasting Australia Holdings, which is jointly owned by the commercial broadcasters, resulted in upgrades to self-help transmitters at Elizabeth Beach, Smiths Lake, Stroud and Forster and a new transmitter at Anna Bay.

However, more than a third of my constituents continue to be exposed to these problems and they are justifiably livid. Much of this anger stems from the previous government's get digital ready campaign that dishonestly promised my constituents that the changeover would result in equal to or better television reception. Now, many of those contacting my office have never had worse reception. Prime TV that was previously broadcast on a different frequency now also fails along with the other channels since the retune process. Mr Steve Brown, Broadcast Engineering and Technology Manager at NBN TV Newcastle, concedes that the installation of self-help transmitters has largely resolved the majority of interference problems on the Tomaree Peninsula and Anna Bay areas. It has also filled in the coverage gaps at locations like Boat Harbour, Corlette and Nelson Bay.

The broadcasters advised me that if ACMA was unable to reallocate the clashing frequencies, the only other solution was three new sites at Peppers Mountain, Stroud region; Wallaroo Forest, to service Karuah, Medowie and Tilligerry Peninsula; and Nerong, to service the Bulahdelah area; plus power upgrades to existing sites, including Gan Gan; and the broadcast of commercial networks from the Vacy transmitter.

Despite the fact that Regional Broadcasting Australia Holdings fully funded the latest transmitter installation at Anna Bay to service their viewers, the broadcasters advised that they were unwilling to deliver the proposed package that included the installation of similar transmitters without co-funding from the Commonwealth. My question to Regional Broadcasting Australia is: why were you willing to fund a fix to the problem for your viewers in Anna Bay and surrounds while leaving your remaining viewers across my electorate in the dark?

While I am extremely disappointed with the commercial broadcasters' request for more taxpayers' funds to improve television reception in my electorate, I have met with the Prime Minister to lobby for this project to be co-funded. I am pleased the Prime Minister has listened to my concerns and has since written to the Minister for Communications requesting this assistance.

For remaining households in Paterson that should be able to access terrestrial signal; the broadcasters that profit from delivering advertising into viewers' homes have a responsibility to their advertisers and viewers to ensure the content can be seen.