Satellite Service to Deliver Digital TV Australia-wide

Thursday, March 18th, 2010

Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy Senator Stephen Conroy said legislation was today introduced to ensure all Australians would be able to receive the full suite of digital television channels.

On 5 January 2010, Senator Conroy announced the Government would fund a new satellite service to bring digital television to all Australians who cannot adequately receive terrestrial digital television services.

The Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Digital Television) Bill 2010 provides the legislative framework for the implementation of the new satellite service.

“The Bill will help broadcasters provide the same number of digital television services to all Australians wherever they live, whether they access television through terrestrial transmission or via satellite,” Senator Conroy said.

The amendments will create three new commercial television licence areas specifically for the new satellite service:

  • Northern Australia – encompassing the Northern Territory and Queensland
  • South Eastern Australia – encompassing the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria
  • Western Australia.

“The Bill will dramatically improve the choice and quality of digital television services for regional Australia as we move towards digital switchover,” Senator Conroy said.

“The legislation also requires commercial broadcasters to provide all local news and information programs to the satellite service licensee, and will ensure that viewers who rely on satellite are able to access their local news as soon as possible after bulletins commence on the terrestrial channel.”

The Government intends to refer this legislation to the Senate Environment, Communications and the Arts Committee immediately, so that it is able to be debated in the Budget sittings.