The Hon. SARAH MITCHELL (15:51): I move:

(1)That this House acknowledges that regional newspapers are essential for:

(a)ensuring residents are informed on local issues and events;

(b)supporting local economies by providing advertising platforms for small businesses and promoting tourism; and

(c)fostering community connection and social cohesion by celebrating local achievements and stories.

(2)That this House recognises the vital role that regional newspapers play in providing timely, relevant, and locally focused news and information to regional communities across New South Wales.

(3)That this House expresses concern about the challenges facing regional newspapers, including financial pressures.

(4)That this House calls on the Government to support regional newspapers through increased Government advertising to regional publishers, including significant and ongoing funding for official advertising in regional mastheads, in both print and online mediums.

I am a proud resident of regional New South Wales and have been reading our local papers for many years. I give a shout-out to theNamoi Valley Independent, which was a print edition paper in Gunnedah for a long time.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT (The Hon. Rod Roberts): Order! There is too much audible conversation in the Chamber. I am having extreme difficulty hearing the Hon. Sarah Mitchell.

The Hon. SARAH MITCHELL: I also acknowledge theGunnedah Times, which is a more recent publication that is also doing great work. The newspapers in Gunnedah, and in a number of other regional communities, are a primary source of reliable news in regional and rural areas. People from regional towns know that most readers in our communities prefer a print newspaper. Local newspapers are there to celebrate community achievements, to share personal stories and to help strengthen community connection.

The Hon. Greg Donnelly: Point of order: There is too much audible conversation in the Chamber.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT (The Hon. Rod Roberts): I uphold the point of order. Members will keep the noise down.

The Hon. SARAH MITCHELL: Local community regional newspapers provide a vital advertising platform for small businesses and help promote tourism by showcasing regional attractions and upcoming community events, including food festivals, country shows and farmers markets. They play a key role in giving a voice to local concerns and interests. The number of regional papers is unfortunately heading downwards. I will speak later about some of the publications that we no longer have in our country towns and cities. My concern is that the Government is not doing enough to support regional newspapers. Before the election, the then Labor Opposition put in costings to the Parliamentary Budget Office and announced that it would double the Regional Media Fund, which was started when we were in government, from $3 million to $6 million. It was also going to put a further $3 million towards advertising in regional print media. The key term here is "print media".

Since the election, the Labor Government has allocated just $3 million for regional and community newspaper support in the budget, which it said will "better support regional media in diversifying and expanding into digital content". That misses the point and is not what people are asking for. That is not what regional people want when it comes to their news services. Yesterday we debated the bill introduced by the member for Barwon about better communication and consultation with people in the regions. Those people want their local rag. They like their local newspaper and want to be able to pick up a print edition and see what is happening. They want to celebrate the sporting teams that are doing well and the school kids who are achieving. When it is time for local government elections, they want to read profiles of the candidates. They want to read news from their local MPs and see advertising for local businesses.

This is what Country Press and Australian Community Media [ACM] have been calling for. In a letter to the Premier earlier this year, which I raised in budget estimates, they made the point that government advertising spend in regional newspapers had fallen by over 40 per cent in the previous 12 months. In the 12 months prior to the State election, government advertising spend in regional newspapers was $2.6 million. In the first 12 months of the new Government, it was only $1.6 million. That is a million-dollar hit on the advertising revenue that those papers need to survive. In the past two years, ACM was forced to stop printing 16 free community newspapers. A further 16 weekly mastheads disappeared, includingLismore City News,Dungog Chronicle,Glen Innes Examiner andCountry Leader. ACM has made 208 positions in New South Wales redundant as a result of the declining advertising spend. Those are real jobs and real people.

Both ACM and Country Press are asking for the Government to commit to one page of government advertising every week in every regional newspaper. That would help significantly with the cost of production and distribution. It guarantees that they can keep the doors open and keep people employed. It also means that local communities can keep getting local content. The cost of one full-page ad running for 48 weeks across all 110 regional publications would be $9.4 million. That is not a lot when you consider the government advertising spend.

It would keep those papers open and provide important information to the community, like when the BreastScreen van is going to be in town, the latest road safety information or information on the campaign to stop domestic violence in our communities. Whatever the Government's advertising priority is, it can be printed in regional newspapers. It is important that this House backs our regional newspapers. The Government spends millions of dollars on advertising, and it should put some of it into country newspapers to keep their doors open and to keep them printing. The Government should back the bush by action and not just by words.

The Hon. TARA MORIARTY (Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Regional New South Wales, and Minister for Western New South Wales) (15:57): I indicate from the outset that the Government will be supporting the motion. However, I will be moving an amendment. Regional newspapers play a vital role in keeping regional communities informed and provide individuals with a collective voice. They hold to account people in power, including businesses, organisations and institutions like this Government, on matters of importance. Newspapers and all forms of media not only inform but also provide a platform for people to voice their opinions, call for change, promote initiatives, inspire achievement and support the community.

When talking about regional media, we should not forget the role of regional radio and television in providing information to those communities. While the ABC is government funded, on privately operated stations local businesses take the opportunity to promote their services and products through advertising. We are all aware of the impact that social and online media has had on traditional media like newspapers. Those entities have taken away advertising and readership while cost increases for paper supplies and transport have put traditional local newspapers under considerable business pressures. In August, theCentral Western Daily in Orange, theDaily Liberal in Dubbo and theWestern Advocate in Bathurst stopped publishing weekday print editions. They have shifted to digital only on Monday to Friday with a paper only being printed on Saturday. The Government is best placed to make an informed decision on how to spend taxpayer funds. It is best placed to know what advertising is required, when it is needed and how much is required to be effective and efficient.

The Government is committed to supporting regional media. Last year our Regional Media Fund grants, which are designed to support innovation and sustainability in regional New South Wales media, provided $2.25 million to 47 regional media organisations. The Government will have more to say soon about additional support for regional media following discussions with organisations such as Country Press NSW to determine the best method of providing that support. I move:

That the question be amended by omitting in paragraph (4) "through increased Government advertising to regional publishers, including significant and ongoing funding for official advertising in regional mastheads".

We understand the critical role that regional newspapers play as a communication channel to regional communities, but the Government is best placed to determine where the spend is. I note the call from regional media. The Government has had discussions with them in relation to this. But in relation to advertising, the Government has a responsibility to make sure that taxpayer dollars are being spent in an appropriate way. The Government supports regional media outlets being able to get information out to the public. Nonetheless, the Government seeks the amendment.

Dr AMANDA COHN (16:00): The Greens support the motion and the amendment moved by the Government. Regional newspapers play an important role in keeping local communities informed about local issues and events, supporting local economies and celebrating local stories and achievements. Many regional mastheads are a longstanding, familiar and established source of public interest journalism, particularly in smaller and rural communities. Financial pressures are one of many challenges facing regional media. While the pandemic accelerated the decline of regional newspapers, the trend was already concerning well before then. Between 2008 and 2018, 106 local and regional newspapers closed, including theAlbury Wodonga News Weekly. Twenty‑one local government areas, including 16 in the regions, were left without any local news coverage during that time. The situation has only worsened since then.

This is particularly egregious in the context of the recent local government election, where there may have been no coverage at all of some contests, which I think we would all agree is not in the public interest. A report titledCommunications, media and internet concentration in Australia, 2019‑2022, released last week, stated that Australia has the second highest media concentration in the world. Our newspaper sector alone is dominated by only four companies, which control 84 per cent of the market. In May, Australia received its lowest score ever in the World Press Freedom Index, attributed to heavy media concentration and severe media cutbacks. Regional newspapers need the freedom to set their own editorial agendas, so that they are accountable to the local community and not to outside interests. The Greens support journalists who have expressed their concerns on the challenges facing regional news. Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance members have reported their top three most important concerns were the impact of closures of regional media outlets on their communities, reduced coverage of local news like council meetings and sport, and the relocation or closure of regional media to larger, centralised outlets.

Through a memorandum of understanding between the ABC and the New South Wales Government, critical emergency warnings are broadcast promptly on radio, social media and online. The 2022 flood inquiry noted that other media outlets may not have formal agreements, and essential emergency information is regularly shared as it is relevant to their audiences. Regional newspapers and broadcasters, including the ABC, contribute significantly to public safety by providing timely and accurate information. Whether it is providing emergency information about bushfires or floods, sharing health information during the pandemic, or asking the tough questions about government integrity, quality journalism is at the heart of a functioning democracy. In regional areas, local news is also at the heart of its community. The Government can and should do more to support regional media, but that should not be limited just to advertising. I commend the motion to the House.

The Hon. JOHN RUDDICK (16:02): I move:

That the question be amendment by omitting paragraph (4).

Paragraph (4) of the motion reads:

(4)That this House calls on the Government to support regional newspapers through increased Government advertising to regional publishers, including significant and ongoing funding for official advertising in regional mastheads, in both print and online mediums.

The Libertarian Party strenuously opposes this motion that seeks to give taxpayer money to newspapers that are financially struggling. The Government should never pick and choose winners and losers of government largesse. We should let businesses rise and fall on the excellence or otherwise of their product or service. If there is a demand, good businesspeople will meet it. Thanks to the internet, consumers today—including in remote parts of Australia—are consuming more news than at any time in history. They are doing so for free in many cases. That is how good the internet is. This is all a good thing; it is also irreversible.

The Government gets its money from threatening violence against productive citizens. These citizens could donate money to the newspapers if they felt like it. They are obviously not buying the product much. I urge the owners of regional newspapers to focus not on getting free money from the Government but on producing such a great product that their business thrives. That is an innovative idea. If a business is faltering, government money can only prolong the misery for its staff, management and investors. No‑one is going to be putting money into these businesses in the future. Reality is going to catch up with them at some point. It is a huge moral hazard when the Government simply gives money to media organisations.

During the dreadful COVID hysteria, the Government was paying huge sums to media outlets. At that time, we needed the media to hold the Government to account and to have a sceptical approach to test whether what the Government was doing was good or bad. But because of the corrupting influence of free money, much of the media was preoccupied with protecting the Government from sceptics and urging the Government to lock us down harder and inject us with warp‑speed vaccines—which I think we all now regret, except those who have a very low IQ. The media became pathetically compliant in mindlessly echoing Government talking points during that period of COVID hysteria.

Free media is not genuinely free if its livelihood depends on the generosity of government. Not only should the Government not increase advertising in regional papers—or any media outlet, to be honest; it should drastically cut back all of its advertising, both to remove the influence on media and to save money for long‑suffering taxpayers.

Ms ABIGAIL BOYD (16:05): I am pleased to contribute to debate on this motion, and I thank the member for bringing it. It is no secret that the media ecosystem is in a precarious state in Australia. Recent years have seen a steady drumbeat of masthead closures, reductions and moves online. This trend has only accelerated following the pandemic. Research conducted by the Public Interest Journalism Initiative makes for sobering reading. It found that 161 news outlets have closed in just over five years between January 2019 and March 2024, which was a sharp acceleration from previous Australian Competition and Consumer Commission data that showed 106 news outlet closures in the 10 years to 2018.

Even where news outlets remained operational, there was significant overall contraction in news production and availability. Regional areas, already underserved relative to metropolitan areas, have been hardest hit by these closures and contractions. While 90 new outlets opened in regional Australia between 2019 and 2024, that benefit was outweighed by the 109 regional outlets that closed, representing two‑thirds of total closures nationally. Of the outlets across the country that experienced a contraction in services, 91 per cent were in regional areas.

Since these figures were released, regional communities have been dealt a further blow, with Australian Community Media announcing it will be cutting 35 jobs across 11 newsrooms, following its decision to discontinue printing eight newspapers. These figures should concern us all. Regional newspapers were once the beating hearts of their communities, creating jobs and fostering community. They have told stories that metropolitan and mainstream outlets cannot or will not provide. Local media serves as a vital space for the construction and negotiation of shared identity, belonging and collective memory. In an increasingly fractured and dislocated time for our society, these institutions are more important than ever. They remind us we are not isolated individuals but members of living, breathing, messy, joyous and complicated communities with a shared fate. This recognition promotes active citizenship and collective problem‑solving—reflexes and skills that are in desperate need of cultivation.

It is worth acknowledging the complexities of the power of local media and the ways in which the narratives it constructs can also reinforce existing power structures and potentially marginalise certain voices. It is for this reason that we need a diverse and rich local media ecosystem and must resist consolidation and centralisation. The media plays a vital role in the functioning of our democracy. It acts as a crucial conduit of news, analysis and diverse perspectives on important issues. A well‑functioning media acts as a watchdog, holding those in power accountable and reporting on their actions, helping to prevent corruption and abuse of power. I thank the Hon Sarah Mitchell for bringing this motion. Our media ecosystem has been declining for too long, and the Government needs to step up to halt and reverse that slide. Access to news, information and community‑building should be recognised as the essential service it truly is and supported as such. This is an issue requiring greater attention and resources, and I look forward to working with the member towards that aim.

The Hon. AILEEN MacDONALD (16:08): Today I am speaking up for the heart and soul of our regional communities—our local newspapers. These papers are so much more than ink on a page or clicks on a screen. They are our storytellers, our watchdogs and our connection to each other. I love my weeklyGuyra Gazette, with its articles of "What's HOT" and "What's NOT" and all the other local articles it has. Regional newspapers keep us in the loop on issues that matter most, and they give us a voice. Whether it is covering council meetings, local school events, or even the little things that make up our everyday lives, these papers tell our stories. Without them, who will do it? The big city media? They cannot and they will not. They do not understand what is happening on the ground in our regional towns and, quite frankly, they do not care.

But now these papers are in trouble. They are being squeezed out by shrinking advertising revenues and mounting costs. In some cases, they are being reduced to what we call ghost papers—publications that are still printed, but barely cover local issues anymore because all the content is coming from far‑off head offices. It is a disgrace. Let us not forget that local newspapers are vital to our regional economies. Small businesses rely on affordable advertising space to reach their customers. Tourism campaigns are run through these papers. When that is taken away, we do not just lose the paper; we cut off a pipeline through which local businesses survive and grow. The flow‑on effects are enormous.

Beyond the economic impact, let me talk about what really matters—community. These papers bind us together. They celebrate our wins, mourn our losses, and give us a sense of belonging. They are the glue that holds our regional communities tight. When we lose the newspapers, we lose that vital connection. But here is where we can make a difference. The Government needs to step up. It is time for it to back regional papers through sustained and meaningful support. We are not asking for a handout. We are asking the Government to invest in something that serves the public good. I say this to the Government: It cannot claim to stand with regional communities and let their voices fade away. Local newspapers matter. They are worth fighting for. Let us make sure they have the support they need to keep telling our stories and connecting our communities.

The Hon. STEPHEN LAWRENCE (16:11): I support the motion and the amendment. As a member of this House who lives in regional New South Wales and who has Dubbo, Barwon, Bathurst, Cootamundra and Orange as my duty electorates, I often interact with newspapers. Like all the regionally based MPs, I too have observed the death of too many newspapers in the areas in which I interact and live in. I give a shout-out to theWellington & District Leader. Mark Griggs is the editor and owner of that paper, which he started two or three years ago, and I understand it continues to be a success.

I listened carefully to the contribution of the Hon. John Ruddick. Even though I do not agree with everything he said, he makes a realistic point. Even though the Government has doubled the assistance that was available previously, realistically that will not ensure that regional newspapers will continue. There needs to be a profit-based model that will result in regional newspapers succeeding. While the figures indicate a steady decline, I hope it is not a case of the community not fully appreciating what they have until it has gone. Regional newspapers are going a certain way and are perhaps being reborn. I say that because I am genuinely convinced that there is a very serious market for local news. People want it. Like everyone, I have observed too many times that a news story behind a paywall gets shared on social media. I have observed the indignation of community members who cannot access it. We can see the desire for local news, but we do not always see a willingness to pay for it.

I think that is a tremendously important factor, but that also speaks to the business model and the content. Perhaps there will be a slightly different model that will emerge and stop this steady decline. Government has an important role to play. I fully support the doubling of funding that the Minns Labor Government has undertaken. I think that is really important. But the Hon. John Ruddick makes a point, which is that that is not a long-term answer. As I have said, the Government has recognised that and has reaffirmed its commitment to ensure the longevity of regional media through funding of $3 million devoted to advertising and spending in regional community print outlets across the next three years. This additional $3 million funding injection will support the vital work that regional newsrooms do in providing the news that regional residents need. I note the enthusiasm of members opposite for more funding, but it does not seem to have been matched by the actions in government, as is so often the case.

The Hon. SAM FARRAWAY (16:14): I support the very good motion moved by the Hon. Sarah Mitchell. I quote from theBlayney Chronicle of Thursday 22 August 2024, which is not that long ago. It states, "Our final edition. The State and Federal Labor governments could have helped save this paper. Instead, they did nothing." After hearing the Minister followed by the duty MLC for the Bathurst electorate, where theBlayney Chronicle was once based, it is clear that he has never read theBlayney Chronicle because the Government did nothing. I am not saying that. The paper reported that. It also stated, "An important message to our readers, to the people of Blayney and our loyal readers and advertisers—thank you, and goodbye."

The article goes on to state, "This is the final edition of the Blayney Chronicle." It also states, "Broken election promises and Government inaction have forced us to close our paper." I am not saying that. That is what the Blayney Chronicle published on 22 August this year in its final edition. It was a newspaper—a community voice—that has been in operation since 1872. The paper reported what the problem is. The paper stated, "Our final edition." It reported that the State and Federal governments could have saved the paper. Instead, they did nothing. Regional papers cover local events and sporting clubs and publish funerals notices as well as reports on local government elections that inform the community. It is really tough because over the past few years things have changed.

Local papers have a huge role to play. It does not matter which political party occupies the Government benches. The Government should continue to force bureaucrats to make sure that we spend and engage with local newspapers. There is a trend of agencies thinking they can bypass local papers, in particular community‑run papers that are not part of a larger organisation. The reality is that those who occupy the Government benches have a responsibility of doing something about this problem. The papers have called out the Government, which did nothing. It could have saved local papers like the Blayney Chronicle. The paper printed on its front page, loud and proud, that the State and Federal governments did nothing.

The Hon. CAMERON MURPHY (16:17): I contribute to debate on this motion because I want to respond to the 4Chan economics from the Libertarian Party. I acknowledge that, in part, the Hon. John Ruddick is right. The decline in not just rural newspapers but newspapers everywhere is a serious problem. Ultimately, I do not think this problem will be fixed by the intervention of the Government. This is about the rise of the internet and the way people consume information. The Government is doing its bit. It is investing $3 million in the Regional Media Fund and some advertising, which means there is some support for regional publications.

The issue I wish to take up with the position adopted by the Hon. John Ruddick is to say that in part he is right, but we also have to acknowledge that one of the fundamental problems is that social media sites, such asFacebook,Instagram and evenTikTok, are stealing content from other people. They are publishing it and republishing it, but they are not paying for the intellectual property rights of using that material. They are making advertising money from somebody else's work. If the problem is to be solved properly, then social media sites ought to be paying the copyright owners, the people paying the journalists who are out there writing the stories and doing the work on the ground investigating issues that are important to communities. They should be compensated for their labour and their work.

The Hon. John Ruddick: Well, then people will do it for free.

The Hon. CAMERON MURPHY: If people do it for free, that is absolutely fine, but the facts are that they are not. All you have to do is scroll through Facebook to find that social media sites are republishing wholesale the work of other people. Under the current Commonwealth Government arrangements, the social media sites are supposed to pay for that. Media organisation after media organisation has pulled out of the scheme that should compensate that. For small publications, whether industry ones such as finance and banking, or rural media and others, the social media sites are simply not honouring the agreements they made to enter into negotiations to compensate the people for their stolen intellectual property. That is an important part of the equation. If a social media site is going to operate in a way that makes them better, that is great. But if they are just going to steal other people's work that they put effort into, that is not on. Social media sites should be paying people for the intellectual property they are stealing.

The Hon. SCOTT BARRETT (16:20): I will try to skim through what I have to say. It is good to be able to talk about how good country papers are, but this motion should not be needed. It states that the Government should do what it promised to do for Country Press NSW. In a world where we all rush out to get our content on the socials, country papers still play such a critical role in our regional communities. That is evident from the number of communities that still publish newspapers with input from volunteers.

The Molong Express is run by Rozzi Smith. It is on hiatus at the moment because she has been through some tough times, but normally she volunteers her time because she knows how important it is. The same thing happens in Eugowra where the Eugowra Promotion and Progress Association publishes a newsletter for the community because it understands how important that is. Government agencies value regional newspapers as well. They are constantly sending out press releases asking for free publication, but there is something better they can do: pay for adverts that would keep these valuable publications out there. The agencies obviously know that regional publications are important because they are looking for free advertisements. Instead of a decrease of more than 40 per cent in funding, the motion is asking the Government to do what it said it would: support our country papers and our regional communities.

The Hon. SARAH MITCHELL (16:22): In reply: I thank members for their contributions. I think the one thing that we all agree on is that printed regional newspapers are really important for our communities, but there is absolutely no way that I will be supporting the amendment moved by the Government. It effectively takes the guts out of the recommendation in the motion. The Opposition wants increased government advertising to regional publishers, including significant and ongoing funding for official advertising in mastheads. I made sure that that was included in the motion because it is the direct ask from Australian Community Media [ACM] and Country Press NSW. I acknowledge the president of Country Press, Lucie Peart, and the managing director of ACM, Tony Kendall. That ask came in the letter that they sent to the Premier in March this year. They asked for significant and ongoing funding for official advertising in regional mastheads in print and online mediums.

Today the Labor Government and, worse, the Minister for Regional New South Wales moved an amendment that effectively said, "We will support you but we will not actually give you what you are asking for." I acknowledge that the Premier met with representatives from Country Press and Australian Community Media after budget estimates. Yesterday I received correspondence about that meeting from Tony Kendall from ACM. It stated:

ACM and the NSW CPA met with the Premier 5 weeks ago and the matter of increased support for regional journalism was raised. The Premier recognised the important role trusted news plays in the wellbeing of communities. He committed to speaking with the Treasurer to see if increased NSW Government advertising could be directed to regional publishers. It is concerning that we have had no feedback since then and the NSW Government continues to spend the vast majority of taxpayer funded advertising dollars on the very social media platforms that they acknowledge are destroying the fabric of our communities.

That is not Sarah Mitchell, The Nationals members or Coalition members saying that; that is a direct quote from these regional publishers. They had their meeting with the Premier, but they have heard nothing since. Today they got from Labor an amendment that completely ignores their request and cuts out anything that requires the Government to do anything to honour its commitment. It said it would spend more money on advertising in those papers, but it is not and those papers are falling down one after the other. The Hon. Sam Farraway talked about what was stated in the Blayney Chronicle. I would like to add more. On the front page of its last edition it stated:

Before Chris Minns became NSW Premier in 2023, NSW Labor promised a greater share of government advertising

…

But, in another broken promise, NSW government spending in regional newspapers has, in fact, gone backwards under Labor.

The last lines of the article stated:

To long-standing Blayney readers and advertisers, thank you for backing the Blayney Chronicle.

If only our federal and state governments cared about local news as much as you do.

The regional papers and the regional voters know that this Government is letting them down. Those opposite should back this motion as it is and stand up for country papers once and for all.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT (The Hon. Rod Roberts): The Hon. Sarah Mitchell has moved a motion, to which the Hon. Tara Moriarty and the Hon. John Ruddick have moved amendments. The question is that the amendment of the Hon. John Ruddick be agreed to.

Amendment of the Hon. John Ruddick negatived.

The PRESIDENT: The question now is that the amendment of the Hon. Tara Moriarty be agreed to.

The House divided.

Ayes22

Noes15

Majority7

AYES

Boyd

Higginson

Moriarty

Buckingham

Houssos

Murphy (teller)

Buttigieg

Hurst

Nanva (teller)

Cohn

Jackson

Primrose

D'Adam

Kaine

Ruddick

Donnelly

Lawrence

Sharpe

Faehrmann

Mookhey

Suvaal

Graham

NOES

Barrett

MacDonald

Munro

Carter

Maclaren-Jones

Rath (teller)

Fang (teller)

Martin

Roberts

Farlow

Merton

Tudehope

Farraway

Mitchell

Ward

Amendment of the Hon. Tara Moriarty agreed to.

The PRESIDENT: The question now is that the motion as amended be agreed to.

Motion as amended agreed to.