Bills Digest no. 49 1976
Television
Stations Licence Fees Amendment Bill (No. 2)
1976
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
consulted to determine the subsequent official status of the
Bill.
CONTENTS
Passage History
Purpose
Provisions
Contact Officer & Copyright Details
Passage History
1.
Broadcasting and Television Amendment Bill (No. 2) 1976
2. Broadcasting Stations Licence
Fees Amendment Bill 1976
3. Television Stations
Licence Fees Amendment Bill (No. 2) 1976
Date introduced: 18 November
1976
House: House of Representatives
Purpose
These Bills seek to implement
Government decisions on the licensing, regulation, planning and
administration of the Australian broadcasting system.
The Broadcasting Stations Licence
Fees Amendment Bill 1976 and the Television Stations Licence Fees
Amendment Bill (No. 2) 1976 are consequential machinery amendments
dealing with the accounting period for assessing broadcasting and
television station licence fees. They will omit from the Principal
Acts a direct reference to the Australian Broadcasting Control
Board in relation to the future application of sub-section 106(2)
of the Broadcasting and Television Act 1942.
Provisions
The Broadcasting and Television
Amendment Bill (No. 2) 1976 provides for:
- the disbandment of the Australian Broadcasting Control Board
and the establishment, with transitional arrangements, of an
Australian Broadcasting Tribunal. The Bill specifies membership of
the Tribunal and transfers to it the Broadcasting Control Board s
present functions and responsibilities regarding licensing and
public inquiries; the administration of present standards of
broadcasting practice; the determination of standards to be
observed by licensees in the broadcasting or televising of
programs; the conditions subject to which advertisements may be
broadcast or televised; and the hours during which programs are or
may be broadcast or televised.
- the restructuring of the Australian Broadcasting Commission to
consist of nine part-time Commissioners (one from each State plus
three others) of whom at least two shall be women.
- the removal of the need for Public Service Board approval on
ABC staffing positions involving salaries below minimum salaries at
Second Division Public Service levels.
- the establishment of a Joint Consultative Committee comprising
representatives of the Australian Broadcasting Commission and
officers and full-time employees of the Commission.
- the licensing of public broadcasting and television stations
under this Act instead of the Wireless Telegraphy Act
1905.
- the payment of Commonwealth Government financial assistance to
commercial broadcasting and television stations to ensure that
programs of adequate extent, standard and variety are
provided.
- the extension of the functions of the Postal and
Telecommunications Department to include the planning of the
physical development of the Australian broadcasting system.
- the establishment of a Broadcasting Council to be consulted by
the Tribunal and the Department in the performance of their
functions.
The Broadcasting and Television
Amendment Bill (No. 2) 1976 is an interim legislative measure.
According to the Second Reading Speech, the new Broadcasting
Tribunal will ultimately be granted all the powers presently
available to either the Minister or the Control Board in the
administration of ownership and control provisions applicable to
broadcasting licences.
Education and Welfare Group
25 November 1976
Bills Digest Service
Information and Research Services
This paper has been prepared to support the work of the
Australian Parliament using information available at the time of
production. The views expressed do not reflect an official position
of the Information and Research Service, nor do they constitute
professional legal opinion.
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 2006
Except to the extent of the uses permitted under the
Copyright Act 1968, no part of this publication may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including
information storage and retrieval systems, without the prior
written consent of the Parliamentary Library, other than by members
of the Australian Parliament in the course of their official
duties.
Published by the Parliamentary Library, 2006.
Back to top