MEDIA RELEASE

 

NICK XENOPHON M.L.C.

INDEPENDENT NO POKIES MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL  

15th March 2004

 

AFTER AXING OF LOCAL SPORT CONTENT ON ABC TV:

MOVE FOR PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY INTO ‘SYDNEY-CENTRIC’ ABC MANAGEMENT

 

The axing of local sport coverage on ABC TV weekday news bulletins has prompted No Pokies Nick Xenophon to push for a Parliamentary Inquiry into the National Broadcasters’ handling of local content in South Australia .

The Motion Mr. Xenophon will introduce Wednesday week is similar to one he moved in State Parliament in 2001.  That motion was supported by the then Labor Opposition, but defeated by the combined vote of the Liberal Party and the Australian Democrats.

Mr. Xenophon said:

“The ABC’s National Charter is all about it being there for all Australians.  This latest move of ABC management is a disgrace, and an insult to South Australian viewers”.

“The marketing slogan ‘it’s your ABC’ may well need to be changed to ‘It’s Sydney ’s ABC’”.

“A Parliamentary Inquiry would inevitably need to call ABC Management from Sydney to justify this decision in detail, and to attempt to find out what else may be in store for local content”.

Mr. Xenophon said that he would seek meetings with the Premier Mr. Rann, the Opposition Leader Mr. Kerin, Australian Democrats Leader Sandra Kanck as well as Family First’s Andrew Evans and Independent Terry Cameron to secure “the broadest support for this Parliamentary Inquiry to be set up as a matter of urgency”.

 

Written and authorised by Nick Xenophon, 653 Lower North East Road, Paradise, SA 5075