Dear Prime Minister,

For millions of regional Australians, local newspapers are the news source they trust the most to keep their community

informed, connected and strong.

With misleading, fake and biased information flooding social media feeds, it has never been more important for

Australians, especially those living beyond the major cities, to have access to independent local voices and accurate and

reliable journalism.

The newspapers of the ACM network and the member newspapers of Country Press Australia provide this vital service to

thousands of communities around the country. Some of our 300+ mastheads have been doing it for more than 180 years.

But a recent dramatic decline in federal government advertising in regional newspapers is threatening the future of the

public interest journalism that is essential for informed citizens, consumers and communities.

In the 2022-2023 financial year, Australian Government advertising across the regional newspaper sector plunged by

more than 70%.

We tell the stories that matter to the 9 million people who live in regional Australia. And yet the local newspapers serving

36% of the population get next to 0% of the government’s advertising spend.

Regional Australia deserves better from the Australian Government. Regional Australians deserve to see a fair share of

their hard-earned tax dollars flowing back to their communities and the local newspapers they trust to keep them informed

and connected.

Instead of bringing essential messages about government initiatives and services to highly engaged local newspaper

audiences, Australian Government advertising campaigns favour foreign-owned, algorithm-driven digital giants that don’t

employ regional journalists and instead devalue real news in their newsfeeds.

Grants that provided temporary relief in the face of last year’s steep rise in the cost of newsprint were gratefully received,

but this year’s federal budget outlay of $900,000 on yet more academic research to tell us what we already know won’t

prevent more newspapers joining the 200+ titles that have closed across Australia over the past three years.

ACM and Country Press Australia call on the Australian Government to take meaningful action now to support regional

newspapers, the jobs and public interest journalism they provide and the communities they serve.

As no fewer than three parliamentary inquiries led by MPs from across the major parties have previously recommended,

the government should immediately:

1. Guarantee a fair share of its existing advertising budget is devoted to regional newspapers. Adopting the Victorian

government’s simple policy of mandating that a full page of government advertising appear in every regional and community

newspaper every week will provide publishers with certainty and sustainability.

2. Extend funding for cadet journalist training programs to grow the talent pool of regional reporters.

3. Commit to exploring a public interest journalism tax rebate, as previously recommended by the ACCC, and other tax

incentives for regional publishers to hire more journalists and launch new publications.

Every week millions of regional Australians support trusted local newspapers and the accurate and reliable journalism

they deliver. On behalf of our readers, we urge the Australian Government to do the same.

Yours sincerely,

Andrew Schreyer & Tony Kendall

President Managing Director

Country Press Australia Australian Community Media