Action on content complaints and investigations: October to December 2025

On this page
Accessed broadcast matters We completed 30 assessments
Commenced investigations Our assessments led to 4 investigations
Finalised invetigations We finalised 5 investigations
Breach finding There was one investigation with a breach finding

Assessments

The co-regulatory framework is set out in the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (BSA). It gives broadcasters the chance to respond to – and resolve – all complaints about alleged breaches of broadcasting codes before we get involved. 

If the complainant:

  • has been to the broadcaster and isn’t satisfied with the response
  • has not received a response

we assess their complaint to decide if we investigate.

We also assess all complaints that allege a breach of licence conditions and standards. In assessing a complaint, the ACMA will review:

  • the complaint
  • any response from the broadcaster
  • a copy of the broadcast
  • the rules in the relevant code
  • public interest considerations. 

Find out more about our broadcasting complaints-handling process. 

Assessment outcomes are also published on the ACMA website. 

Assessment decisions

Graph showing assessment decisions over the last 3 months.

 

Assessment decisions by sector

Graph showing assessment decisions by sector over the last 3 months.

 

Investigations finalised

Graph showing investigations finalised over the last 3 months.

 

Investigations finalised by sector

Graph showing investigations finalised by sector over the last 3 months

 

Average time taken to finalise closed investigations, as at 31 December 2025

Graph showing average time taken to finalise closed investigations over the last 3 months

Finalised investigations

The table below shows finalised broadcasting investigations and the relevant provisions. Breaches found are shown in bold and links to investigation reports are in the first column.

Investigation number

Date of broadcast / broadcaster

Description

Provisions investigated
The Community Radio Broadcasting Codes of Practice 2008 & Schedule 2 of the BSA 

 

BI-744

 Tasman Community Broadcasters Association Inc.

Encourage community participation in operations

Encourage community participation in programming 

  • Breach of paragraph 9(2)(c)(i) of Schedule 2 to the BSA

     

  • No breach of paragraph 9(2)(2)(ii) of Schedule 2 to the BSA

BI-749

 Great Lakes Area FM Community Radio Association Inc. Encourage community participation in operations
  • No breach of paragraph 9(2)(c)(ii) of Schedule 2 to the BSA

BI-750

 Tamar FM Inc (7TFM)

Have in place, abide by, and regularly review constitution and key governance policies

Encourage community participation in operations

  • No breach of Code 2.1(a) of the Community Radio Broadcasting Codes of Practice 2025

     

  • No breach of Code 2.1(b) of the Community Radio Broadcasting Codes of Practice 2025

     

  • No breach of paragraph 9(2)(c)(i) of Schedule 2 to the BSA
The Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice 2015 (revised 2018)

BI-752

 Channel Seven Melbourne Pty. Limited

Exercise care in selecting material for broadcast and

Material which may cause distress

  • No breach of clause 2.3.3 [exercise care in selecting material for broadcast] 

     

  • No breach of clause 3.2.1 [material which may cause distress]

Please note: One investigation report that was finalised in this quarter will not be published for privacy reasons.

Enforcement actions taken

The ACMA takes a graduated approach to enforcement in accordance with our compliance and enforcement policy. 

Under the BSA, enforcement options available to the ACMA for a breach of an industry code may include:

  • accept agreed measures (informal resolution)
  • accept a court-enforceable undertaking for non-compliance
  • impose an additional licence condition.

For a breach of a licence condition of the BSA, we may:

  • accept agreed measures
  • accept a court-enforceable undertaking for non-compliance
  • issue a remedial direction requiring action to address the contravention
  • impose an additional licence condition.

We consider matters such as:

  • the nature and seriousness of the breach
  • the level of harm caused to the community
  • the compliance history of the licensee
  • any remedial actions proactively undertaken by the licensee in determining its approach. 

The ACMA will generally publicise any enforcement action it takes. The table below shows enforcement actions taken in the October to December 2025 quarter.

Investigation number

Date of broadcast / broadcaster

Description

Action taken
The Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice 2015 (revised 2018) & Schedule 2 of the BSA

 

BI-745

 Channel Seven Sydney Pty Limited [7Mate]
  • Comments about domestic violence during an episode of Step Outside with Paul Burt
  • Breach of clause 2.1.1 of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice 2015 

The ACMA accepted agreed measures requiring the licensee to:

  • deliver updated education and classification training to relevant staff
  • send investigation report BI-745 to Australian production companies that supply content to Seven, and ask them to review the classification rules.

In arriving at this outcome, we took into account the remedial actions taken by the licensee including:

  • issuing an apology
  • removing the program from playback services.

BI-724, BI-726, BI-727 and BI-728

 Triple M Sydney Pty Ltd, Triple M Brisbane Pty Ltd, Gold Coast FM Pty Ltd, Maryborough Broadcasting Company Pty Limited
  • Comments about the Matildas and women’s sport during an episode of the Marty Sheargold Show
  • Breach of 2.2 [generally accepted standards of decency] of the Commercial Radio Code of Practice 2017

The ACMA accepted agreed measures requiring the licensees to deliver updated education and training to relevant staff.

In accepting these matters, the ACMA had regard to the remedial actions taken by the licensees including:

  • issuing an apology
  • cancelling the program
  • providing updated content ethics training to staff.

BI-708 and BI-709

 Tamworth Broadcasting Society Inc. [2YOU]
  • Breach of paragraph 9(1)(b) of Schedule 2 to the BSA [prohibition on advertising]
 The licensee is developing training material under the Enforceable Undertaking directed to strengthening compliance, which will be submitted to the ACMA for review.

BI-689

 Macarthur Community Radio Association Inc [2MCR]
  • Breach of paragraph 9(2)(c) of Schedule 2 to the BSA [encourage participation in operations and programming]
 We accepted agreed measures requiring the licensee to update its corporate governance policy. 

BI-580, BI-629 (Sydney)

BI-643, BI-644 (Brisbane)

BI-620 (Melbourne)

 Seven Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne Remedial actions in relation to breaches found in captioning investigations Acquitted obligations in remedial directions (Sydney, Brisbane) and enforceable undertaking (Melbourne).

 

 

Accessibility file

14.12 KB
Data file: Action on content complaints and investigations – October to December 2025
Last updated: 17 February 2026
print Print this page
 
Back to top
ONLINE ENQUIRY