Page 3174 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 11 September 1991
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MULTICULTURAL RADIO STATION
Proposed Establishment
MRS GRASSBY (11.58): I move:
That this Assembly supports the Ethnic Broadcasters Council of the ACT and surrounding districts in their efforts to establish a community based multi-cultural radio station for the Canberra Region.
Throughout the Canberra region there are more than 80 different languages in common use. More than 20 per cent of our diverse population was born in non-English speaking countries. However, the potential exists for these people to feel cut off, not only from the Canberra community but also from their homelands - homelands that today are increasingly in turmoil. Too often there is little opportunity for our new neighbours to become involved in the Canberra community. There is no local press that these people can turn to - no press that is produced in our city. Local content within multicultural television is usually limited to events in Federal Parliament, and there is not even an ethnic radio station to cater for the needs of the Canberra community. It is this last point that I wish to discuss today.
Mr Speaker, ethnic radio stations first began over 15 years ago to help overcome some of the problems experienced by migrants after arriving in Australia. These problems do not disappear after two or three years. Indeed, the feelings of isolation often continue after many years of living in Australia. Just stop to think how those people felt during the overwhelming tragedies of the past year, separated from their families and unable to follow the events in their homelands as closely as they might have wished to.
Mr Speaker, ethnic or multicultural radio stations service the large part of our community who wish to retain their ties with the countries of their birth whilst striving to make a new home in a new land. The purposes behind multicultural broadcasting are varied and the benefits widely distributed to all sectors of the community.
Mr Speaker, I have already touched upon the benefits to the ethnic community of receiving a wider coverage of overseas news events, but let us not fool ourselves that these benefits will be evident only in times of crisis or will be limited to the non-English speaking community. To the contrary, all Canberrans will benefit from an expanded news service, not only directly, by being able to listen to such news bulletins themselves, but also by helping to provide a community that is generally better informed.
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