AUSTRALIAN "REDS"

Chronicle (Levin), 17 September 1949, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN "REDS"

f N.Z.P.A. -

-Reuter

No Discrimination For Election Campaign

. Covvriaht)

Received Fridav, 8.50 p.m. CANBERRA^ Sept. 16. The onus of ensuring or denying £he Coinmunist Party free time on all broadcasting stations is on the Aus-i tralian Broadcasting Commission. This was an authoritative interpretation placed today on the Broadcasting Control Board 'a order eompelling all commercial radio stations to broadcast with out charge tlie addresses of the leaders of poiitical parties. The Communist Party has announced that it will contest 70 seats at the Federal elections. Regulations were gazetted yesterdav eompelling all commercial radio stations to give free time' to poiitical partiOs during the elections. Oue of the regulations orders commercial stations to broadcast free, and in full, party leadIers' speeches whieh the Anstralian Broadcasting Commission -vrill relay over the national stations. The Corrimunist Party will be entitled to broadcast its poliey speech provided it nominates candidates in at least 15 per cont. of the ITouse of Representatives seats in three States, therebv becoming a party nnder the regulations. The general seeretary of the Anstralian Comnmnist Party (Mr. L. L. Sharkey) savs that the party will nominate candidates for at least 15 per cent. of the electoral divisions of the House of Representatives. Stations will not be forcod to broadcast poiitical matter, except policy speeches, bnt if they sell time to one party they must sell enual timo to any other whieh demands it. The Anstralian Broadcasting Control Board gazetted the regulations which seok to preserve an ' ' adeqnate balance of hroadeasts of poiitical matter dnring each period of seven days in the election poriod," and to prevent stations exercising anv form of discrimination in i'avonr of one party.