NSW Premier Chris Minns addresses his election promise to ensure the longevity of regional and community media and missed capital in promised expenditure.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00It hasn't been given to you now, it was sent to you in March.
00:02Order, order, order.
00:04Mr Chair, I think that's interesting that you just said that.
00:06I'd like to ask what are you going to do?
00:08The letter is tabled Premier.
00:10No, no and I'm going to read from it.
00:12Premier, are you aware that since you came to office
00:14more than 10 regional publications have shut down in New South Wales?
00:18I didn't know the number was 10 but I knew that there had been several that had shut down.
00:23Are you aware that in September last year there was a media release from your government
00:28stating that you're going to deliver on your election commitment
00:30to ensure the longevity of regional media
00:32in your first budget delivering a $3 million commitment
00:35devoted to advertising spend in regional and community print outlets?
00:38Do you remember that announcement?
00:40Yes.
00:42Are you aware of a letter that you received in March this year,
00:45a joint letter from the Managing Director of the Australian Community Media
00:48and the President of the Country Press?
00:50No, I'm not aware specifically of that letter.
00:53I've got a copy here so I'd be very happy to table it
00:56and provide it to you to have a look at.
00:58As I said, Premier, it was sent some months ago back in March
01:01and I'll just wait for you to get the document.
01:04But you'll see in the highlighted part,
01:07in the letter that is addressed to you dated 7 March this year,
01:11whilst the $1 million of incremental New South Wales government advertising spend
01:15that was part of your government's election commitment was welcomed,
01:18sadly this promised expenditure has not occurred.
01:21In fact, New South Wales government advertising spend in regional newspapers
01:26has fallen by over 40% in the last 12 months.
01:29Premier, why haven't you honoured your election commitment?
01:32My understanding was that we had honoured the election commitment
01:35in relation to the increase in expenditure for regional publications,
01:39but the net amount that's spent in regional newspapers
01:43across government agencies has dropped.
01:46Well, that's at least what was presented to me by the ACM
01:49and the regional editors.
01:52Hang on, I'm going to complete my answer.
01:55So I did have a discussion with them about the government's commitment
02:00and not just the government's commitment in relation to that fund
02:05specifically for regional outlets and there was a similar fund
02:08that was in place for ethnic media and other newspapers and media in the state,
02:14but also in relation to other government agencies.
02:17The big spender for regional communities from the government
02:22particularly for newspapers is roads and road safety campaigns and programs.
02:27In any event, I agreed to meet them.
02:30They wrote to you in March.
02:32You said you bumped into them at AgQuip last week.
02:35We've had at least 10 and possibly more regional newspapers go under.
02:39They're saying under your government the advertising spend is down 40%
02:43in the last 12 months.
02:45That means people are losing their jobs.
02:47That means regional people who rely on those newspapers for access
02:50to information are missing out because you haven't spent the money
02:53that you said you would in terms of advertising spend.
02:55So what are you going to do about it?
02:57Yeah, no, I think that's a glib recitation of the circumstances
03:00relating to the economics of newspapers.
03:02It's nothing glib about it.
03:04I'm going to answer the question that you put to me.
03:06And the reason is, and the major reason is because you've neglected
03:09to point out the sharing agreement, the fund sharing agreement
03:12from major social media firms in the country.
03:15There was a pool of funds that was distributed.
03:19My understanding is it continues to be distributed by Google,
03:22but Meta withdrew from the application.
03:25And that's affecting print media, broadcast media,
03:28regional media right across the country.
03:30It's particularly the case in disaggregated populations
03:33like in New South Wales and is the leading pressure,
03:36the massive pressure that we're seeing when it comes
03:40to regional newspapers.
03:42So can I...
03:43No, sorry.
03:44I'd like to...
03:45I want to take issue with the last bit of your question,
03:48the drop in New South Wales government spending,
03:51which you articulated is the reason for these newspapers going out.
03:55I just think it's important for the committee to understand
03:58that there are a lot of economic forces in relation to media businesses.
04:01Perhaps you're not aware of them.
04:03I don't need to be lectured by you in relation to what happens
04:06to regional newspapers with respect, Premier.
04:08I know many of the people who own and operate and work in these papers,
04:12and they've made it very clear that that lack of government
04:15advertising spend and the lack of the rollout of your election
04:18commitment is placing huge financial pressures on us.
04:20But perhaps you didn't read the second paragraph of the letter that you gave me.
04:23You are going to meet with them next week.
04:25What will you do?
04:26Well, Mr Chair, I think that's interesting that you just said that.
04:28I'd like to ask what are you going to do.
04:30The letter is table, Premier.
04:31I know, and I'm going to read from it.
04:33Just answer the question.
04:34Point of order.
04:35Mr Chair, surely I'm entitled to refer you to the document...
04:37No, you're not.
04:38Point of order has been taken by Mr Nanver.
04:40Mr Nanver, you're on point of order.
04:43The opposition may not like the answer that's been given,
04:46but the answer is relevant to the question that was asked,
04:48and I just ask that the courtesy be extended to the Premier.
04:51I'm ruling, Mr...
04:53I'm here for four hours.
04:55Premier, the question was, what are you going to do?
04:58No.
04:59I was listening...
05:00No, no, no.
05:01The question from Mrs Mitchell to you was, what were you going to do?
05:04Are you going to meet with these people?
05:06Or you are going to meet with these people?
05:08Sorry.
05:09And I think you were responding to that.
05:11No, Mr Chair, the question was,
05:14as a result of the government's supposed reduction
05:18in spending for regional press, people are losing their jobs.
05:21And I'm just pointing, and I think this is reasonable,
05:24if it's not, I think it's grossly unfair,
05:26that I refer to the table document
05:28supplied by the Honourable Member in the second paragraph,
05:31and I'll read it to the committee.
05:33This has just been given to me now.
05:35I don't need you to do that.
05:37It hasn't been given to you now.
05:40Order.
05:41The Premier can respond to the question the way he sees fit.
05:44He is being relevant to the questions you have asked.
05:47Please proceed.
05:48The widely reported decision this week
05:51by Facebook parent company Metta
05:53to discontinue funding to regional media
05:56as compensation for using our locally generated news content
06:00will have an immediate and devastating effect.
06:03It removes a critical income stream
06:06that had been widely expected to continue
06:09for at least another three years.
06:11And they also very clearly in the letter, Premier,
06:14country people will listen to this.
06:16They very clearly in the letter articulate
06:19the lack of investment from your government.
06:21You can't hide from this, Premier.
06:23Particularly if you're going to ask questions
06:25about regional economies or the businesses,
06:28it shouldn't be the case that you cherry-pick information.
06:31And in fact, the second...
06:33Look, this just goes to the point here.
06:35That you know nothing about regional New South Wales
06:39because that's pretty evident.
06:40Order!
06:41You've got your abuse out of the way.
06:43Order!
06:44I'll just say this, Mr Chair.
06:46Please come to order.
06:47Clearly the economics of media,
06:49particularly in regional New South Wales,
06:51particularly when it comes to regional newspapers,
06:53has been significantly affected by social media companies,
06:56particularly Metta's decision
06:58to withdraw that local content fee to regional newspapers.
07:02The same occurs to major publications
07:05in metropolitan Sydneys like Sydney and other places.
07:08As a result of that...
07:09I'm going to finish this because this isn't just hyperbole.
07:12This is absolutely crucial.
07:13I'm asking you about New South Wales government spending.
07:15That's what we're here to do.
07:16Of course the government will meet with regional businesses
07:21and talk about changes to the circumstances.
07:23Six months after they write you.
07:24But I honestly think that you should present
07:26all of the information that's been presented to you.
07:28He got in in three days, but these guys wait six months.
07:31Order!
07:32Order!
07:33Well, you've neglected the second paragraph.
07:35Well, you've neglected the bulk of the letter
07:38and the refusal of six months to meet.
07:40It adds to the suggestion that you're not on the level
07:44about trying to find a solution to this is my only point.
07:47You're the one not on the level.
07:48They wrote to you six months ago and you've ignored it.