Network Insight Institute

Maureen Barron

Maureen Barron, GM Corporate, Southern Star Group

I take all of that into account when I say that the real focus, when we came to think about the Australian content standard at Southern Star and put together our submission, was the perspective of the audience. That is really what the content standard is all about: the provision of Australian content for Australian audiences. Given that we sell those programs internationally, what has been clear to us over all the years we have been selling our own and other producers' products is that the programs stack up. Provided the slots are there, there is nothing wrong with the quality. I remain convinced of that. Looking at the participation list for this workshop and hearing what has been said, I also don't think that there is anybody here who doesn't believe that we ought to have an Australian content standard and Australian content on our television screens. Maybe if that person is here, now is the time to leave or not identify yourself. So I begin with that common ground.

I want to take people back to what Ian McGill said at the start when he referred to international trade agreements. That is a very real issue. It is not one that sits in front of us every day, but I want to underscore what he said. One can't lose sight of the fact that Australian cultural interests are not relevant to international trading partners. They might care about their own cultural interests, but I don't think that you can expect them to care about ours. I take the point that Ian made that we need to be alive to that in globalisation. I don't have a problem with globalisation or trade agreements. What I have a problem with is that we don't continue to emphasise the local.

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