Barnaby Joyce promises continued support for community radio at Sta FM

Barnaby Joyce says he'll continue support community radio on air at 91.9 Sta FM

Sta FM in Inverell have asked Barnaby Joyce what the National Party will do for community broadcasting if successful in the election. Gerard Taveira, Sta FM's News Director, called the Deputy PM's attention to the sector's $25m ask to support community radio right around Australia. The Deputy PM said,

“Whether it’s Tenterfield, whether it’s Glen Innes, whether it’s Tamworth - all these community radio stations are vitally important. I make sure we’ve got funding for all those community radio stations because they’re the only ones who give us genuine, non-syndicated community views and community news. So we’re going to keep doing that. We’ve done it in the past. We’ll continue to do it now."

He emphasised the important role that local and community media play in holding the government to account and promised to continue supporting community radio,

"We can’t not have local papers and local community radio otherwise we will not have an active fourth estate, that is an active media, to actually keep me in line, to make sure that there’s been the proper oversight in the jobs I do, and the state politicians do and the local councils do. So… I’ll say judging by my actions, have I supported community radio throughout New England, yes. And regional papers, yes. So what do you think I’m going to continue to do - is do precisely that.”

Our Political Reporter Amanda Copp was at Sta FM when the Deputy PM and David Gillespie, Member for Lyne stopped by earlier this month to check out Sta FM's new studios. Sta FM received a Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grant to help them move into their new location and set up an Outside Broadcast caravan. 

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