‘Superficial’ survey

I was grateful to Liesl Tesch, our local State Member, in PP045, for drawing my attention to an online survey “seeking the views from Australians living in regional, rural or remote areas about how they access local news”.

This survey forms part of an inquiry called on December 22, 2021, by the Federal Minister for Communications and the Arts Paul Fletcher asking the Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts “to inquire into and report on Australia’s regional newspapers”.

This inquiry also called for submissions which closed on Friday, January 28, 2022.

The online survey closed on February 11, 2022.

I duly accessed the survey and could not believe the total inadequacy of design; the lack of possible alternative responses to questions, or space to add relevant comments.

A primary school student could have designed a more sophisticated, informative and less biased survey.

In this region we are fortunate to have our regular local newspapers where this survey was advertised and promoted, but I had to ask myself how would other Australians from ‘regional, rural or remote areas’ find out in a period between December 22 to January 28 that this inquiry was happening at all?

It was also advertised that after a committee has considered submissions and evidence provided ‘it will use the evidence received to draw together reasoned conclusions and recommendations and will present a report to Parliament which includes publishing (online and in print)’.

Perhaps our Federal Member Lucy Wicks can seek clarification from Minister Fletcher as to how the results of such a blatantly superficial enquiry on such important regional matters can possibly lead to any ‘reasoned conclusions and recommendations’ being presented to Parliament.

Email, Jan 10
Gillian Telford, Booker Bay