WARNING:
This Digest was prepared for debate. It reflects the legislation as
introduced and does not canvass subsequent amendments. This Digest
does not have any official legal status. Other sources should be
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Bill.
CONTENTS
National Transmission Network Sale (Consequential
Amendments) Bill 1997
Date Introduced: 30 October 1997
House: House of Representatives
Portfolio: Communications, the Information Economy
and the Arts
Commencement: Royal Assent
To make a small number of amendments to the Australian
Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983, the Radiocommunications
Act 1992, and the Special Broadcasting Service Act
1991 consequent upon the sale of the national transmission
network.
The reader is referred to the background to the Bills Digest
prepared for the National Transmission Network Sale Bill
1997.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983
Item 5 of Schedule 1 provides
the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) with the following
additional powers:
- the production, promotion and presentation of programs,
- the transmission of programs
Item 6 repeals the technical services
provisions of the Act.These provisions are out of date.
Item 7 provides a mechanism by which the
Minister can direct the Australian Broadcasting Authority to
conduct an investigation into the possible degradation of the
quality of signal reception of a national broadcasting service.The
Minister may give that direction where a person has complained
about signal degradation and that complaint has not been adequately
responded to within 60 days.
Item 8 adds an item to the list of matters
which must be included in the ABC's annual report.The annual report
will need to include any significant changes during the year in the
transmission coverage, or transmission quality of national
broadcasting services provided by the ABC.
Radio Communications Act 1992
At present, the Commonwealth, in its capacity as provider of
transmission services, holds the national broadcasting service
(NBS) licence under section 100 of the Radiocommunications
Act to operate transmitters for the purpose of providing
national broadcasting services.Following the sale of the national
transmission network, the national broadcasters, rather than the
network owners, will hold the licences under section 100.
Item 10 amends section 100 to provide that an
NBS licence may only be held by the ABC, SBS or the
Commonwealth.
Item 13 provides that an NBS licence cannot be
transferred to any person other than the ABC, SBS or the
Commonwealth.
Special Broadcasting Service Act 1991
Item 19 empowers the Minister to direct an
investigation by the ABA of an alleged degradation of the quality
of signal reception of a national broadcasting service in the same
circumstances as under the Australian Broadcasting Act
1983 (Item 7 above).
Item 22 adds an item to the list of matters
which must be included in the ABC's annual report.The annual report
will need to include any significant changes during the year in the
transmission coverage, or transmission quality of national
broadcasting services provided by the SBS.
Lee Jones
18 November 1997
Bills Digest Service
Information and Research Services
This paper has been prepared for general distribution to
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is taken to ensure that the paper is accurate and balanced, the
paper is written using information publicly available at the time
of production. The views expressed are those of the author and
should not be attributed to the Information and Research Services
(IRS). Advice on legislation or legal policy issues contained in
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IRS staff are available to discuss the paper's contents with
Senators and Members
and their staff but not with members of the public.
ISSN 1328-8091
© Commonwealth of Australia 1997
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Published by the Department of the Parliamentary Library,
1997.
This page was prepared by the Parliamentary Library,
Commonwealth of Australia
Last updated: 18 November 1997
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