Government cuts to red tape gives the ACMA more discretion over investigations

The media watchdog will get more powers to decide what it should investigate, and strike out any complaints which it deems to be time wasting or vexatious.

Yesterday the government stripped away dozens of laws, including changing the 1992 Broadcasting Services Act, which compelled the Australian Communications and Media Authority to investigate any complaint put to it through appropriate channels about TV and radio broadcasters.

With the law removed it now gives the authority the power to decide which complaints it should look into, with the ACMA now looking to draw up a guidelines to decide when it is “desirable” to do so, bringing it in line with other statutory bodies with similar powers.

A spokeswoman told Mumbrella: “This amendment will allow the ACMA to take no action on complaints that are, for example, misconceived, trivial, stale or inappropriately divert the ACMA’s resources and the resources of broadcasters. It is expected to allow a more efficient and effective use of resources on investigations– this is a key benefit.”