Mary supports local news

Member for Monash, Mary Aldred has spoken up in parliament, calling on government to support strong regional news services.

The deputy chair of the standing committee on communications, the arts and sport, Ms Aldred outlined the importance of regional newspapers in their communities.

“In triumph and tragedy, there is someone who always turns up for regional Australia, and that’s the local newspaper,” Ms Aldred said.

“The local paper weaves the threads that hold communities together … and tells the stories that truly matter to everyday people.

“Local news keeps people connected, not just to events, but to one another.”

After noting “the array of senior Australian journalists” who started in regional media, Ms Aldred listed the eight newspapers in her electorate, saying they were “important to the community fabric” of the region.

The South Gippsland Sentinel Times, Warragul and Drouin Gazette, Latrobe Valley Express and the Advertiser were all separately namechecked.

“Regional journalists show up to meetings no one else attends, they ask tough questions. They cover the bush fire alerts and they to report the aftermath long after the flames are gone,” Ms Aldred said.

She said the Federal Government had committed support to regional journalism, but it had been “slow out of the gates, noting the News Media Assistance Program (News MAP) is still awaiting finalisation.

“The mandated minimum commitment of $3 million per year for two years from 2025 to 2026 for regional newspaper advertising across the total Commonwealth media advertising spend has gone nowhere.”

She raised the News Bargaining Incentive, aimed at Meta, which she said enjoyed “broad media support”, and called on the government to finalise the process – consultation and drafting legislation – by the end of the year, to ensure “Meta, TikTok and other platforms join the negotiating table in good faith”.

She also noted Country Press Australia did not support changes to the copyright laws which would allow AI companies “to access copyrighted content without permission or payment”.

“Lifeblood”

Country Press Australia (CPA) President Damian Morgan said Ms Aldred’s words reflect what every regional community already knows — and demonstrate that the future of regional journalism is an issue that unites both sides of politics.

“Mary Aldred is absolutely right. Local newspapers are the lifeblood of their communities. It is encouraging to see both government and opposition recognising this and backing regional journalism,” Mr Morgan said.

Mr Morgan said CPA was particularly appreciative of the Federal Government’s announcement of the News Media Assistance Program (NewsMAP) and its commitment to allocate funds directly to support public interest journalism in regional communities.

“NewsMAP is a very significant initiative. For the first time, the Federal Government has created a structured framework that recognises the unique challenges of regional and local publishers and commits dedicated funding to help sustain them.

“With bipartisan voices now reinforcing the need for action, this is an important and positive step forward,” Mr Morgan said.

He stressed, however, the success of NewsMAP will be measured by how quickly it is implemented.

“The framework is there, the commitment is there, and the funds have been announced. What we need now is for NewsMAP to move from promise to delivery. Publishers are waiting, communities are waiting, we cannot afford further delays,” he said.

He highlighted other pressing challenges, including the withdrawal of Meta from its Australian publisher agreements and the urgent need for the government’s proposed News Bargaining Incentive.

“Meta has walked away from regional news deals, leaving a massive hole in local journalism funding,” he said.

Mr Morgan also strongly backed Ms Aldred’s warning against weakening copyright protections to benefit global AI companies.

“Australia’s copyright laws are world-leading, and any attempt to hand over our content for free to AI companies would be devastating. Regional publishers strongly oppose such changes and journalism must be paid for if it is to survive. On this, too, we are seeing strong bipartisan agreement,” he said.

CPA has long argued that fair government advertising allocation, proper industry consultation, and stronger bargaining rules for digital platforms are essential to securing the future of trusted local journalism.

Mary Aldred’s speech is available on the House of Representatives YouTube channel (August 26).

A full transcript can be found in Hansard at www.aph.gov.au