Interview with Leon Byner, 5AA

E&OE TRANSCRIPT

LEON BYNER, HOST: As you know, we have a thing in Australia called free-to-air and when it comes to sport, there's a lot of sport that's accessible that you don't have to pay for, that the people who do, in fact, are the sponsors. But there's been an interesting development in this space because the Federal Government has issued an unprecedented warning to the AFL asking it to keep live matches on free-to-air television as negotiations for its lucrative broadcast rights enter the final weeks.

Because, as you might reasonably suspect, the pay-per-view industry, which is significant, is absolutely wanting to have as much exclusivity with your favourite sport as they can get, and they're prepared to pay big money. But of course, if they're prepared to pay, somebody else has to. And you know who that is, don't you? So let's talk to the Federal Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland. Michelle, thanks for coming on today. I reckon I couldn't think of somebody at the moment that would be under more pressure than you in this very controversial space of free or pay.

MICHELLE ROWLAND, MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS: Well, Leon, as your listeners will know, we went to the last election with a very clear policy and a statement of principle about the importance of Australians –irrespective of where they live or their means –having the opportunity to view iconic events of national significance and by and large, these are sporting events. So what we have stated over the past few days is really a statement of principles that go behind that, but also reiterating our commitment that we are going to conduct a review of this current scheme called the anti-siphoning list.

It was devised at a time when we didn't have that plethora of global streaming services that we have now. But I also think it's important to reiterate that really core principle of equality of opportunity. We respect that these are highly lucrative commercial negotiations, but the fact is, it would be a shame if there were a diminution in the availability of AFL matches on free-to-air television as compared to what we have now for Australian consumers.

BYNER: What is your view? Because there's a lot of wiggle going on here. I guess everybody wants to get their money and that's fine, but it's always the consumers who have got to pay. What do you think about a consideration that I know is fairly active that, for example, some AFL matches are delayed some hours so that the pay-per-views get some sort of jump on them? What do you think about that?

ROWLAND: Well, the anti-siphoning scheme doesn't say that every single match needs to be shown on free-to-air television and there are some games that are shown on free-to-air at certain times. The rest of them –in fact, all of them – would be capable of being viewed on subscription television. But again, I recognise completely that these are highly sensitive commercial negotiations, that there are multiple parties involved but my answer would again come back to that statement of principle. We really need to ensure that consumers have that choice when they decide to consume sport, and that's what they've got at the moment. But at the same time, we're in an unfortunate situation where people right across Australia don’t have the same level of equality when it comes to broadband access. Australians are under unprecedented cost of living pressures at the moment, and everyone, Leon, will make their judgments about how they deal with that.

BYNER: What would your message to the AFL be on this?

ROWLAND: It's exactly as I said in the statement. I encourage the AFL Commission and its broadcast and streaming partners to ensure there's no diminution in the availability of those AFL matches on free-to-air television under the new deal. Now, again, this is completely a matter for their commercial negotiations. But as I listen to people right around Australia, Leon, as I listen to my parliamentary colleagues, as I listen to people who play grassroots sport, this is an area of genuine concern.

BYNER: Oh, I know it is, because there are those who want to be it behind a paywall, and to some extent, we already have seen it. You're not going to let it go any further.

ROWLAND: We are going to conduct a review. And in a matter of weeks, Leon, every one of your listeners will have the opportunity to have a look at the discussion paper we'll put out. There'll be different parties with different points of view. But the fact is that this scheme was devised at a time when we did not have the current set of circumstances and technology that we have now. And it's high time that this was updated. I said this many years ago, Leon, and it wasn't done. It's a long-overdue piece of work, and I think that everyone who has an interest in this matter should make a contribution. And I assure you they will be well heard.

BYNER: Minister, thank you very much for your availability. And that's Michelle Rowland.

CONTACT: ARLEY BLACK

E: Arley.Black@mo.communications.gov.au