13.12.99 The
Hon. A Downer, MP
Re: Cox Peninsula Transmitters
I write further to correspondence
of Friends of the ABC on 17.6.99 and 1.9.1999 on government plans to
the lease Australia's Cox Peninsula transmitter system to overseas broadcasters.
There are several matters raised by FABC which have not been addressed
in replies to our correspondence, and further matters for which we seek
information.
| 1. |
The Department of
Foreign Affairs and Trade advise that, in determining whether
or not to issue a licence to operate Cox Peninsula to a foreign
broadcaster, the Minister for Foreign Affairs will assess if a
service is contrary to Australia's interests. FABC requests:
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a) details of the criteria
by which you will make any judgement. The situation seems absurd,
given that a decision to lease Australia's major shortwave transmission
facility to any foreign broadcaster (and competitor of Australia's
international broadcaster) is in itself contrary to Australia's
best interests; and
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b) details of the process
to be used to make this assessment. With whom/what bodies will
you consult to seek information and advice? What information will
be available to the Australian public? Will there be opportunities
for community input into such an important decision? What mechanism
will be available to the Australian public to appeal or to seek
a review of such decisions?
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| 2. |
The Department of Foreign
Affairs advises that in the long term other methods of service
delivery will grow in importance relative to shortwave broadcasts.
As FABC wrote in its letter of 1.9.199, RA is to be commended
for the excellent job it does, particularly with its limited resources.
However, its audiences in the Asia-Pacific region are now much
reduced compared with those who once listened on shortwave. Decisions
about what will be broadcast will effectively be in the hands
of others if RA is forced to rely on the communication facilities
of private companies and foreign countries to deliver its programs.
In the foreseeable
future, shortwave transmission is still important, not only as
a mechanism to reach many people in the Asia Pacific region, but
to ensure RA can deliver programs not vetted by those on whom
it must depend when rebroadcasting its programs through other
means. We seek your response to the points FABC raises. If shortwave
is considered by you not to be an important means of communication
in the region, we wish to know why is it that other major broadcasters
are so keen to lease the Cox Peninsula shortwave facility?
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| 3.
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Government's claims
it has no objection to RA using the Cox Peninsula facility provided
it could come to a commercial agreement with the international
broadcaster, are dishonest if RA is dependent on a competitor
to grant it access, and if the Government does not provide the
funds required for RA to purchase this access on a commercial
basis. Why is the Australian Government effectively denying the
nation's own international broadcaster access to Australian transmitters?
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| 4. |
The present situation
in East Timor highlights the need for RA. It is ridiculous that,
denied use of the Cox Peninsula transmitters, during the present
crisis in East Timor the transmitters sit idle while RA has been
forced to lease the limited time it can afford on a Taiwanese
transmitter to broadcast into Indonesia.
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| 5. |
What length of time
will Cox Peninsula be leased to a foreign broadcaster?
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| 6. |
Department correspondence
to FABC on this matter refers only to government action to 'contract'
an international broadcaster to 'operate' the Cox Peninsula facility.
Yet recent media reports refer to government plans to lease or
sell Cox Peninsula. Is the Government considering selling Cox
Peninsula system? If so, when was this decision made, and why
was FABC not informed in correspondence on the matter of Cox Peninsula's
future?
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There is widespread public
support for the restoration of Radio Australia access to Cox Peninsula.
At all meetings addressed by FABC speakers, the community raises the
importance of Radio Australia. At FABC Victoria's recent annual general
meeting a unanimous resolution was carried that any action to lease
the Cox Peninsula transmission facilities to foreign countries is an
abrogation of responsibility by the Australian Government, and calling
on the government to restore RA access to the transmitter system.
It is short-sighted for
Australia to forgo use of an important means for communicating with
countries in our region, and to provide an overseas broadcaster with
the facility to promote foreign interests to the detriment of Australia.
Radio Australia is a cost-effective diplomatic initiative. Its development
of positive relations with the peoples of other countries is important
in foreign policy, trade and defence. Australia's highly regarded international
broadcaster has gained respect in our region over many years. If we
allow RA contact to be lost, trust in its integrity cannot be restored
quickly in times of need.
FABC urges the Government
to reconsider plans to lease or sell the Cox Peninsula facility. It
is in the nation's interest that Australia's own international broadcaster
once again has unfettered use of this important means of communication.
We look forward to receiving
your response to these matters.
Yours sincerely
Alison Clifford
National Spokesperson