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Findings of inquiry of regional newspapers welcomed by CPA THE Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts has concluded its inquiry into Australia’s regional newspapers. The report, The Future of Regional Newspapers in a Digital World, has been presented to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and is available on the inquiry webpage: https://www.aph.gov. au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/ Communications/Regionalnewspapers/Report. The Committee made 12 recommendations for the federal government to consider. These recommendations include considering the viability of a tax rebate for regional news businesses and the development of a targeted grants program aimed at small, independent newspapers based in regional and remote Australian communities. The Committee recommends the Australian Government review government advertising expenditure across all departments and agencies with a view to ensuring a minimum of 20 per cent of government print advertising is placed in regional newspapers. Country Press Australia (CPA) president
Andrew Manuel has welcomed the positive findings from the Federal Parliamentary Inquiry into Australia’s Regional Newspapers and has called for bi-partisan support for the implementation of its recommendations. “This has been an important and productive inquiry, and the findings can make a real difference to help sustain independent regional news services into the future if implemented,” Mr Manuel said. The recommendations made by the Committee include ensuring 20 per cent of government print advertising is placed in regional newspapers, and that the Government considers the viability of a tax rebate for regional businesses that support their local newspaper. An important recommendation the Committee concluded is “that the Australian government develop a targeted grants program aimed as small, independent newspapers based in regional and remote Australia communities”, which aligns to the ACCC’s Digital Platform Final Report of June 2019, recommendation 10, which called for a targeted grants program that supports the
production of original local and regional journalism. “Regional newspapers are the perfect medium for reaching many regional Australians with important government messages, so it’s a wise and welcome recommendation to ensure more government advertising is placed with our local independent publications,” Mr Manuel said. He said that he expected broad political support for the recommendations due to the wide and diverse range of voices that were heard by the Inquiry. “There were clear and consistent themes presented to the Inquiry and at the very top of that list is how important having a local independent news service is to regional communities,” he said. The Inquiry chair Dr Anne Webster noted that “regional newspapers are about regional stories and are a shared community experience” and that, “as newspapers close, readers are pushed towards social media for their news, which increases Australians’ exposure to misinformation and creates a disconnect in communities”.
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From page 1 Additionally, volunteers will often have to change without privacy, since the garage that houses the trucks opens onto James St. Understandably, Cpt Badham would rather not have the prying eyes of the public watching the firefighters change into their uniforms. “As captain, I don’t want my female volunteers having to basically strip down to their underwear in full view of everyone,” he said. Issues like the above aren’t just a hindrance to Yarram’s firefighters, but to potential recruits as well. Brigade secretary Sally Woods said that the state of the building is affecting the recruitment of new volunteers. “It’s very difficult to recruit when you’ve got limited facilities, like this, to bring people into,” Ms Woods said. Cpt Badham added: “They come in and see the building falling down … and they leave.” Although it is not yet known when a new fire station in Yarram will be built, land has been purchased on Commercial Rd to construct a new facility for the brigade. Said land was purchased in 2016. In a media release earlier this month, Gippsland South MP Danny O’Brien stated that works on the new building would commence next year. “I have now been told that the rebuild of the Yarram station has finally been budgeted for by the CFA in the 2023-24 financial year, but may be brought forward,” Mr O’Brien said. “While it has been a long time coming, there is no doubt that this will serve as welcome news to the hard-working emergency service volunteers that have been making do with inferior facilities for years.” But a spokesperson for the CFA was unable to confirm to the Gippsland Times that such an arrangement had been reached. “Land has been acquired and construction of a replacement fire station at Yarram has been identified as a priority within the CFA Capital Works Program, but is not currently funded,” the spokesperson said. “The Capital Works Program is informed by CFA's infrastructure priorities, which take into consideration district, regional and statewide needs, including community risk profile and
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Breaking point You can see the cracking on the outside of the building.
Photos: Tom Parry
A crack in the Yarram Fire Station’s kitchen wall.
There is barely enough room for firefighters to enter their trucks.
service delivery needs, to ensure the best outcome for Victorians.” According to a lone sign that sits on the vacant Commercial Rd site, $30,000 has currently been
raised towards construction, with another $70,000 still needed. Cpt Badham said that any further donations from the community would be welcome.
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Times-Spectator, Tuesday, 29 March, 2022 – Page 5
