MP Mary Aldred has used time in the federal parliament to champion regional newspapers, saying that “in triumph and tragedy, there’s someone who always turns up for regional Australia, and that’s the local newspaper.”
“Across towns and regions throughout Australia, the local paper weaves the threads that hold communities together… local news keeps people connected not just to events but to one another,” she continued.
MP Aldred named the regional newspapers in her electorate of Monash, including the South Gippsland Sentinel Times, the Warragul and Drouin Gazette, the Latrobe Valley Express, the Philip Island Advertiser, and our very own Traf District News.
“Regional journalists show up to meetings no-one else attends,” she said, a statement which rings true.
Between 2020 and 2022 over 100 regional newspapers in Australia ceased printing or moved to online-only publishing. The pandemic hit the industry hard and many businesses don’t have the funds to advertise anymore. Of course, many people are also finding their news elsewhere.
For the Traf District News, our only revenue is advertising, given that our newspaper is free for all locals to enjoy – an important aspect of a community newspaper. But many businesses are struggling at the moment and understandably need to cut back on advertising expenses. This leaves our newspaper, along with many other regional newspapers, vulnerable.
Aldred says there could be a solution. In 2023 and 2024, there was consultation on the News Media Assistance Program which should mandate $3 million of spending on advertising per year from 2025-26 for regional newspapers.
She also called on the government to finalise legislation to ensure Meta, TikTok and other platforms “join the negotiating table in good faith,” after the tech giants did not renew their deal with Australian publishers and stopped paying for Australian news content on their sites.
“There has never been a more important time to support our regional and local publishers. I’m calling on the federal government to get its act together and come good on commitments made which are well past their due date,” she said.
Aldred turns up for Baw Baw students
While back in her electorate, MP Mary Aldred took some time to speak to students at Marist Sion College in Warragul. She spoke to students about civics, parliament and the local community, calling it “one of the best parts of [her] job.”
“It was a terrific opportunity to speak to local students about some of these responsibilities, and hear their ideas on policy and local issues. It’s always wonderful to engage with young people across the Monash electorate, who have bright ideas, great questions and are committed to making a contribution to our local community,” she said.
