Bill
Broadcasting Services Amendment (Audio Description) Bill 2019
before parliament, as at 2025-07-23.
- Sponsor
- Steele-John
- Portfolio
- Not recorded
Recorded stages
- introduced — 2019-02-12
- second reading — 2019-02-12
- other — 2019-07-01
- other — 2019-07-04
- other — 2022-07-25
- other — 2022-07-27
- other — 2025-07-21
- other — 2025-07-23
Divisions
No divisions recorded. Most questions are decided on the voices; this does not establish that a bill was unopposed.
Plain-language summary
Written by a model from the explanatory memorandum; not the record, as at 2019-02-12.
This bill would require television broadcasters to offer a set weekly amount of audio-described content.
It would give the Australian Communications and Media Authority power to enforce the new rules.
The bill adds a new part to the Broadcasting Services Act, drawing on the existing captioning framework but with separate provisions for audio description.
- The bill creates a minimum weekly audio description requirement for national, commercial and subscription television broadcasters.
- The bill places enforcement of audio description obligations under the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
- The bill inserts a new Part 9D Division 3A and makes consequential amendments to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992.
People who are blind or have low vision, and television broadcasters including national broadcasters, commercial licensees and subscription licensees.
Sources
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