Licence Area Plan - Inverell (Radio) - June 1998

The Determination operates through a small set of recurring administrative and technical concepts. Each concept is present in the Schedules or Attachments; I list and explain them, with the source references where they appear.

• Licence Area / Service Licence Number: The instrument divides territory into licence areas (for example "INVERELL RA1", "INVERELL RA2", "DEEPWATER RA1", "GLEN INNES RA1") and, for Commercial and Community services, specifies a service licence number where issued (see SCHEDULES ONE-FOUR and Attachments 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1). The Schedules note that N/A appears where a service licence is not applicable to a National or Open Narrowcasting service.

• Service Category and Status: Each listed service is categorised as National, Commercial, Community, or Open Narrowcasting (SCHEDULES ONE-FOUR). The status column labels services "Licensed", "Available", "Reserved", "Proposed", or "Alternative", and the Determination expressly states the status column "does not form part of the licence area plan decision and is included for reference only" (Schedules introductory text). The document also defines the status terms: "Licensed : service is already licensed", "Available : new licence available for allocation", "Reserved : capacity reserved for a national or community service in accordance with Ministerial notification", etc. This shows the plan distinguishes between legal allocation (the Plan itself) and an informational snapshot of licensing status and frequencies at publication.

• Technical Specification (TS#) and Attachment: For every transmitter the Determination supplies a TS number (e.g. TS10005041, TS4127001) and points to the Attachment that contains the full technical specification (SCHEDULE ONE columns and Attachments 1.2-1.13, 2.2, 3.2, 4.2). The TS entries set carrier frequency, emission band and mode (VHF‑FM or MF‑AM), polarisation, maximum antenna height, and output radiation parameters (Maximum ERP for FM, Maximum CMF for AM). Nominal site AMG co‑ordinates are also given (e.g. Attachment 1.2 Table Top Mountain AMG Zone 56 Easting 313600 Northing 6704400).

• Coverage radius and special conditions: Some Attachments include explicit coverage radii and special conditions (for example Attachment 1.12 lists a "coverage radius" of 30 kilometres from the Table Top Mountain AMG co‑ordinates; Attachment 1.13 lists a 20 kilometre radius from stated AMG co‑ordinates). Other transmitters simply list maximum ERP and antenna height without an explicit coverage radius. Site Tolerance in every Attachment refers to "Technical Planning Guidelines".

• Frequency channel information flagged as additional information: The Schedules explain that the "frequency shown is the centre frequency of the channel" and that frequency and status columns are "accurate as at the date of publication" but not part of the licence area plan decision. This concept separates channel assignment descriptors from the plan's legal allocation where that distinction matters.

• Ministerial reservation: The "Reserved" status is explained as "capacity reserved for a national or community service in accordance with Ministerial notification" (Schedules footnote). That ties a "Reserved" label to a separate ministerial instrument or notification, referenced by the plan but not reproduced within it.

Mechanically, the Determination thereby translates statutory allocation power (s 26(1) BSA 1992) into:

• a parcelled set of licence areas (defined by ABS collection district lists in Attachments 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1),
• a matrix of categories and status entries (SCHEDULES ONE-FOUR),
• a set of granular transmitter technical constraints (Attachments and TS#s),
• and references to external implementation guidance (Technical Planning Guidelines) and other instruments (Ministerial notifications).

Those concepts determine the options open to market participants (where licences exist; where new licences may be sought), the technical build constraints for transmitters, and the jurisdictional footprint for community/commercial services by reference to ABS collection districts.

The Determination identifies several directly affected groups, and it has indirect consequences for other stakeholders. All attributions below are traceable to the Determination text and Attachments.

• Australian Broadcasting Authority: The ABA is the decision‑maker, explicitly noted on the Determination "The Australian Broadcasting Authority hereby makes this plan … under subsection 26(1) of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992" and "Determined by the Australian Broadcasting Authority on 25 June 1998." The ABA’s role as issuer of this document is therefore primary. The plan is an ABA instrument.

• Current licence holders: Where the Schedules list "Licensed" services and give a Service Licence No., existing licensees are affected because the Determination documents the technical specification and the licence area for their service. Examples: SL4127 (Commercial AM 1188 kHz) is listed with technical specifics at Attachment 1.8; SL10322 is associated with multiple FM transmitters (Attachments 1.9-1.11); community licences SL1150086, SL1150087, SL1150036 are listed in Schedules Two-Four respectively and are associated with Attachments 2.2, 3.2, 4.2.

• Prospective commercial and community broadcasters: SCHEDULE ONE shows some entries marked "Available" for community services (Schedules Two-Four list community "Available" entries) and SCHEDULE ONE includes "Available" or "Proposed" labels for certain frequencies. The plan thus defines where new community or commercial licences can be sought (for community and commercial categories licences are required, per the Schedules’ note that "the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 only requires service licences for Commercial and Community services"). Prospective applicants will rely on the licence area boundaries (ABS collection districts) specified in Attachments 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1, and on the TS# specifications for transmitters they propose to operate.

• National broadcasters and the Minister’s office: Some channels are "Reserved" for national or community services "in accordance with Ministerial notification" (Schedules footnote). That reservation affects national broadcaster deployment (for example ABC or SBS) and instructs licence applicants that certain capacity is not available for commercial allocation. The Determination does not reproduce the Ministerial notifications, but the label and footnote indicate Ministerial decisions intersect with this plan.

• Open narrowcasters and niche operators: The plan lists two open narrowcasting services (Attachments 1.12 and 1.13 at 92.7 MHz and 107.5 MHz respectively), with explicit TS numbers and ERPs (1 kW at Table Top, 3 kW at Carpenters Hill). These entries define bandspace for narrowcasting formats and set technical envelopes for such operators.

• Equipment and infrastructure providers, engineers and local planning authorities: The technical specifications (AMG co‑ordinates, ERP limits, antenna heights, polarisation) govern engineering design, mast siting, and planning approvals. The Attachments reference the "Technical Planning Guidelines" for site tolerance, which implies that engineering compliance must follow those Guidelines in addition to the TS specifics.

• Local communities: The licence areas are defined by ABS collection districts and local government areas (e.g. "Glen Innes (M)", "Inverell (S) - Pt B", etc., Attachment 1.1), which determines the geographic footprint of community and commercial services. Community services SL1150086 (Inverell RA2), SL1150087 (Deepwater RA1), SL1150036 (Glen Innes RA1) are specifically allocated, which affects the availability of community radio in those localities and the population reached by those licences (as defined by the collection districts).

• Interfering spectrum users / adjacent broadcasters: The TS specifications include carrier frequencies and ERP or CMF limits (for example AM 1188 kHz CMF 560 V at Attachment 1.8; FM 10 kW ERP at Table Top for commercial 95.1 MHz TS10004859 Attachment 1.9). Those parameters constrain frequency planning to avoid interference with adjacent channels and require adjacent spectrum users to account for protected contours defined by these technical parameters.

What the Determination does not directly affect (and therefore stakeholders should not assume it addresses) includes licence fee levels, content obligations, licence conditions beyond technical parameters, licensing application procedures, or enforcement penalties. Those matters are not contained in this Determination; the Schedules note the distinction between the Plan and licensing status information and cross‑reference other instruments (Technical Planning Guidelines, Ministerial notifications) for implementation detail. To locate obligations such as licence conditions or penalties, the text indicates those are matters outside this Determination and handled elsewhere under the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 and related instruments.

This Determination sets technical and allocation boundaries rather than prescribing broad behavioural duties or rights. The document does, however, create operative obligations and entitlements by reference to service category, technical specification, licence area and status. The rights and duties below are drawn from what the text prescribes or implies.

Rights established or documented by the Determination:

• Right to operate a service within the defined licence area if a valid service licence is held: where the Schedules show "Licensed" and provide a Service Licence No. (for example SL4127 for the commercial AM service at 1188 kHz, Attachment 1.8), the Determination documents that the service and its transmitter technical specification are in place. It therefore recognises the existing licence holder’s allocation and the transmitter parameters applicable to that service.
• Right to build and operate transmitters that comply with the specified technical parameters if a licence is held or issued: each Attachment provides the carrier frequency, maximum ERP or CMF, antenna height, polarisation, and nominal AMG coordinates. A broadcaster operating under any applicable licence will have the entitlement to operate within those technical limits for the listed transmitter.

Duties (technical and procedural) imposed or referenced:

• Duty to comply with the technical specifications listed per transmitter: the TS numbers and Attachments set the technical limits to be observed (e.g. Attachment 1.9 prescribes a 10 kW ERP at Table Top for the commercial 95.1 MHz FM transmitter, maximum antenna height 30 m, polarisation mixed). The Determination therefore creates a duty for any operator using that transmitter to adhere to those constraints.
• Duty to observe site tolerances per external Technical Planning Guidelines: every Attachment includes "Site Tolerance : Refer to Technical Planning Guidelines." That reference imposes a procedural duty to consult and comply with the Technical Planning Guidelines when establishing the transmitter site and tolerances.
• Duty to respect reserved capacity and status labels: the Schedules inform readers that some channels are "Reserved" for national/community services in accordance with Ministerial notification. This reads as a duty on prospective commercial applicants not to expect to obtain that capacity; conversely it is a right for national/community services or for the Minister to exercise reservation across certain channels.
• Duty to understand that status and frequency columns are informative only: the Schedules explicitly state the status and frequency columns "do not form part of the licence area plan decision and are included for reference only" and that the frequency shown is the centre frequency of the channel. Actors must therefore not assume that the frequency/status column is a standalone legal entitlement without cross‑reference to licensing instruments and the Plan itself.

Implicit duties and consequences (derivable from the technical detail):

• Duty to limit ERP or CMF and antenna height to the declared maxima: All FM transmitters list maximum ERP (e.g. 1 kW, 3 kW, 10 kW, down to 50 W in several rural sites) and a maximum antenna height. Those maxima function as limits on transmitter power and mast height.
• Duty to adhere to coverage special conditions where specified: Attachment 1.12 states a specific "coverage radius" (30 km) measured from given AMG co‑ordinates; Attachment 1.13 supplies a 20 km coverage radius. If operators seek to expand their service beyond that radius they will need to consult the Licensing and the ABA/other relevant instruments for approval.

Matters not specified in the Determination (and therefore not created as rights or duties within it):

• Content, public interest, reporting, or local content obligations. The Determination contains no content rules, quota obligations, or reporting duties.
• Fees, licence conditions beyond technical parameters, renewal procedures, transferability rules, or sanctions. Those items are not included and must be located in other instruments under the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 and licence documentation.

In sum, the Determination mainly creates enforceable technical duties (TS# compliance, ERP limits, antenna heights, coverage radii and AMG site location), documents where licences already exist or where capacity is available or reserved, and directs operators to external Technical Planning Guidelines for further technical tolerances. The Determination grants or records licensing entitlements only to the extent the Schedules list service licence numbers; it does not contain procedural licensing rules or fee and content obligations.

The Determination itself contains no express penalty schedule or enforcement mechanics. It is a planning and allocation instrument: it lists service categories, licence numbers where applicable, technical specifications for transmitters, ABS collection districts defining licence areas, and references to external instruments (for example Technical Planning Guidelines and Ministerial notifications). It does not set out sanctions, remedial powers, enforcement procedures, or fines.

What the document does supply that is relevant to enforcement:

• Technical limits that can be objectively measured: the Attachments specify carrier frequency, maximum ERP (for FM) or maximum CMF (for AM), antenna heights and AMG co‑ordinates (for example TS4127001 in Attachment 1.8 prescribes 1188 kHz AM with "Maximum CMF" 560 V). Those technical parameters are clear compliance benchmarks that a regulator or licence condition could enforce.
• Status markers that reflect licensing reality: the Schedules identify what services are "Licensed" and supply Service Licence Nos (for example SL4127, SL10322, SL1150086, SL1150087, SL1150036). Where a licence already exists, enforcement of licence conditions and technical compliance would fall to the holder’s licence instrument and the regulator; the Plan documents the technical envelope which would be relevant to any compliance check.

What the Determination does not do and therefore requires reference elsewhere:

• It does not explain or exercise statutory enforcement powers. The instrument states it is made under subsection 26(1) of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992, but the Determination contains no text about the Act’s enforcement regime, penalties, sanctions, licence revocation, or the ABA’s disciplinary processes. Any enforcement action would be governed by the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 and the specific service licences, neither of which are reproduced in this Determination.
• It does not list breach consequences for operating outside TS# limits or outside the licence area: the Plan sets the technical envelope but does not itself impose sanctions or describe remedial steps.

Practical implication for compliance and enforcement planning:

• Enforcement will rely on comparing actual transmitter parameters and service footprint to the TS#s and AMG coordinates in the Attachments. The Plan makes such comparisons feasible because the technical values are explicitly given (ERP, CMF, antenna heights, site coordinates, coverage radii where included).
• Because the plan cross‑references (but does not include) the Technical Planning Guidelines and Ministerial notifications, the scope of any enforcement will depend on those external instruments as well as on the service licence under which a broadcaster operates. Practitioners must therefore consult the Broadcasting Services Act 1992, the relevant service licence documents, and the Technical Planning Guidelines to identify the available enforcement powers and penalties.

In short, the Determination produces the technical benchmarks and the allocation record that enable enforcement, but it does not itself lay down penalties or procedural enforcement mechanisms. Those are to be found in the broader statutory and licensing framework referenced by the Determination.

The Determination situates itself explicitly within the Broadcasting Services Act 1992: the opening line states the ABA "hereby makes this plan for broadcasting services in the Inverell area of New South Wales, under subsection 26(1) of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992." This identifies the Plan as an instrument made under specific statutory authority. Beyond that express citation, the Determination makes internal cross‑references to external instruments or instruments implied by statutory practice. The document itself contains the following interactions or cross‑references:

• Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (statutory foundation): The Determination is made under s 26(1) of that Act. The Schedules also reference the statutory rule that "the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 only requires service licences for Commercial and Community services" (Schedules introductory note). Therefore the Plan’s allocation of National and Open Narrowcasting services and the treatment of licence numbers (N/A where not applicable) is shaped by the Act’s licensing framework.

• Ministerial notifications: The Schedules define "Reserved" as "capacity reserved for a national or community service in accordance with Ministerial notification." That indicates the Plan’s "Reserved" markings are not autonomous but reflect a ministerial instrument or direction. The Plan does not reproduce Ministerial notifications; to understand the legal effect of a "Reserved" entry and any operative rights or constraints one must consult the underlying ministerial notification(s).

• Technical Planning Guidelines (TPG): Every Attachment includes "Site Tolerance : Refer to Technical Planning Guidelines." That directs operators and licensing officers to the TPG for allowable deviations from the nominal site coordinates and other technical planning allowances. Therefore the Plan interacts with the TPG to determine permissible site tolerance, and any practical siting and engineering compliance must apply both the TS# constraints and the TPG allowances. The TPG is therefore an operationally binding technical instrument complementing the Plan.

• Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) geographic definitions: Licence areas are defined by ABS collection districts (CDs) and local government area descriptors (for example "Glen Innes (M)", "Inverell (S) - Pt B"), listed in Attachments 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1. That reference fixes licence area boundaries to a statistical geography used by government, which in turn interacts with planning and demographic data and any statutory obligations tied to a licence area (for example where licence conditions reference service to a particular community as defined by ABS boundaries).

What the Determination does not do:

• It does not include the Broadcasting Services Act’s detailed licensing rules, enforcement powers, content obligations, transferability rules, or fee regimes. Stakeholders must consult the Act, the relevant licence instrument, Ministerial notifications, and the Technical Planning Guidelines for those matters.
• It does not purport to be a frequency‑planning instrument in the sense of national spectrum allocation beyond the transmitter‑level TS specifications. Frequencies are shown as the "centre frequency of the channel" and marked as "additional information" accurate at publication, but the Plan explicitly separates its legal allocation effect from these frequency/status data points (Schedules note). Practitioners must therefore treat frequency listings in the Schedules as useful guidance rather than as the sole legal source for channel entitlement.

Consequences for practitioners:

• To determine a broadcaster’s full legal obligations and the regulator’s enforcement powers in any compliance matter practitioners must consult: the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (statutory powers and licensing framework), the service licence instrument (where recorded Service Licence Nos appear in the Schedules), the Ministerial notification(s) associated with reserved capacity, and the Technical Planning Guidelines (for site tolerance and technical planning rules), in addition to the TS#s in the Determination.
• The Plan’s interaction with ABS geography creates certainty about the population and footprint a licence covers, which is useful where licence conditions or funding/support schemes reference service to a defined community.

In short, the Plan is an ABA instrument that takes effect under the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 and is operationally linked to Ministerial notifications, the Technical Planning Guidelines, and ABS geographic definitions; it does not replace those instruments and depends on them for enforcement, site planning tolerances, and the full legal effect of reserved capacity.

The Determination itself records a single administrative timestamp and maker: "Determined by the Australian Broadcasting Authority on 25 June 1998." That is the only date or version stamp contained in the document. The text does not include an explicit amendment log, version history, or later modification dates within the published pages provided here.

What the document does record that is relevant to any subsequent amendment:

• The Schedules include a specific caveat that the information in the status and frequency columns "is provided as additional information to the licence area plan, and is accurate as at the date of publication." That phrasing (present on the bottom of SCHEDULE ONE) implies the possibility of later changes to frequencies and licensed status after the date of publication; it signals that practitioners must not assume permanence from the status/frequency snapshot alone.
• The use of ABS 1991 Census collection districts to define licence areas (Attachments 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1) fixes geographic boundaries to a historical statistical geography. If ABS boundaries change or if licensing practice updates its boundary definitions, an updated Determination or amendment would be needed to alter the licence area definitions.

What is absent from the Determination's text with respect to amendment history:

• There is no explicit statement of amendment authority or process beyond the initial statutory citation (s 26(1) BSA 1992) and no record of any subsequent amendment or revocation. The document provides no table of amendments, no schedule of revocations, and no cross‑references to later Determinations or replacement Plans.

How to treat this in practice:

• Treat the Determination as the June 1998 version until a later Determination, amendment instrument, or replacement plan is located. Because the Schedules caution that status and frequency info is accurate only as at publication, users must check ABA archival records, later determinations, or the current regulator’s database for updated licensing status, frequency assignments, and technical parameters.
• Where licence transfer, renewal, or contestable allocation is a live issue, verify whether the service licence numbers listed (for example SL4127, SL10322, SL1150086, SL1150087, SL1150036) have been amended, surrendered, transferred, or otherwise altered under later instruments.

In sum, this Determination gives a single dated snapshot (25 June 1998) of licence area allocations and transmitter technical specifications. It does not show any subsequent amendments in the provided text; users must therefore consult the ABA’s or successor regulator’s records to obtain any amendment history postdating this Determination.

The Determination does not reference any litigation, legal proceedings, judicial review, or case law relating to this Plan. The document is an administrative allocation instrument and records no disputes, appeals, or court decisions within its text.

What the document contains that is relevant to legal challenge or disputes:

• Fixed technical and geographic parameters: Attachments provide precise AMG co‑ordinates, maximum ERP/CMF, antenna heights and coverage radii for some transmitters (e.g. Attachment 1.12 special condition of 30 km coverage radius; Attachment 1.13 special condition of 20 km coverage radius). These objective data points are the sorts of matters that, if contested, would be susceptible to evidence‑based adjudication in regulatory or judicial proceedings.
• Status and reservation labels: the Schedules’ "Reserved" markings reference Ministerial notification. Disputes over whether capacity is properly reserved or should have been available for allocation could raise legal questions about the Ministerial notification and the ABA’s implementation; the Plan itself does not record any such dispute.

What the Determination does not provide:

• The Determination does not cite any tribunal or court decisions, nor does it include a record of appeals, objections, or litigation regarding this Plan. There are no named cases, no pending judicial reviews recorded, and no legal analysis within the instrument itself.

Practical note for counsel and researchers:

• Because the Determination is silent on litigation, anyone researching potential judicial history must search separately for any administrative tribunal or court proceedings that reference this Determination’s allocations, the Service Licence Nos listed, or the Ministerial notifications it relies on. The Determination’s absence of litigation references does not mean none occurred; it only means none are recorded within this document.

The Determination contains several features that can catch practitioners, engineers, or applicants if read too quickly. These items are grounded in the text and Attachments.

• Status and frequency columns are informative only: The Schedules explicitly state the frequency and status columns "do not form part of the licence area plan decision and are included for reference only" and that frequencies are "accurate as at the date of publication." Practitioners who treat those entries as definitive legal entitlements or immutable channel allocations risk error. Always reconcile with the underlying licence instrument, current regulatory registers, and any updated Determinations.

• Service licence numbers and categories vary: The Schedules note that the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 requires service licences only for Commercial and Community services. National and Open Narrowcasting entries show "N/A" for Service Licence No. Developers or engineers may assume that N/A implies no oversight; it does not. National services are still regulated under the Act and Ministerial arrangements. Also, entries for SL10322 appear across three transmitter rows (95.1 MHz at Table Top, 106.7 MHz at Carpenters Hill, and 102.9 MHz at Warialda South), meaning a single service licence (SL10322) may authorise multiple transmitters in different locations. Confirm whether multiple TS#s under a single Service Licence No are part of a single licence footprint.

• Formatting anomalies and concatenations in SCHEDULE ONE: The commercial line in SCHEDULE ONE reads "LicensedLicensedProposed" and concatenates multiple frequencies and multiple service licence numbers and TS numbers in a single row (95.1 MHz106.7 MHz102.9 MHz; SL10322SL10322SL10322; TS10004859TS10004869TS10008269; Attach No 1.9 1.10 1.11; Area Serviced InverellGlen InnesWarialda). That is effectively three transmitters listed on one row. Read the Attachments to see the separate technical specifications for each transmitter (Attachments 1.9, 1.10, 1.11). Do not rely on the Schedule row alone for mapping licence numbers to transmitters.

• Coverage radius special conditions vary and are asymmetrical: Attachment 1.12 sets a 30 km coverage radius from Table Top for the open narrowcasting 92.7 MHz transmitter; Attachment 1.13 sets a 20 km coverage radius for the 107.5 MHz transmitter measured from a different AMG point. Other transmitters do not have explicit coverage radii but list only ERP and antenna heights. If compliance or interference calculations are required, consult the TS# details and the Technical Planning Guidelines; do not assume coverage is a simple function of ERP without considering local terrain and the special conditions where present.

• Site tolerance is external: every Attachment requires reference to the Technical Planning Guidelines for "Site Tolerance." That means nominal AMG coordinates in the Attachments are not the only site control; site tolerance rules in a separate instrument will determine permissible deviation. Relying only on the AMG coordinates without consulting the TPG can cause a planning mismatch.

• Use of historical ABS CDs for licence area definitions: licence areas are defined by ABS collection districts from the 1991 Census (the document states "at the Census of 6 August 1991"). Modern users should note these are historical spatial definitions; subsequent local government boundary or ABS statistical geography changes may affect interpretation of population served. Licence area interpretations (for compliance with licence conditions tied to "the community") should confirm the operative geographic definition in current licensing documentation.

• National services and "Reserved" capacity: the Schedules list several National services as "Reserved" (for example 93.5 MHz and 107.1 MHz in Schedule One are labelled "Reserved"). The footnote clarifies "Reserved : capacity reserved for a national or community service in accordance with Ministerial notification." Practitioners should check the underlying Ministerial notification and any subsequent changes before assuming the channel is available to commercial applicants.

• Lack of penalties or licence conditions in the Plan: The Determination does not set out licence conditions, content obligations, enforcement measures, or fees. Those must be found in the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 and in the associated service licence instruments. Assuming content obligations or fee rules from the Plan alone will miss material obligations and risks non‑compliance.

• Multiple small‑ERP rural transmitters: Several rural sites are constrained to small maximum ERP values (50 W at Ashford and Emmaville, 50 W at Ashford for two different frequencies, 50 W at Emmaville , see Attachments 1.5, 1.6, 1.7). Small ERP reduces single‑site coverage and can require multiple transmitters to serve a region. Engineering and economic feasibility must be tested against the modest technical envelopes shown.

• Ambiguity on who enforces technical non‑compliance: the Plan produces the technical envelope but does not identify the operational enforcement mechanism within its pages. Where there is a potential dispute about whether a given transmitter exceeds the TS# limits, parties must locate the prevailing licence and the regulator’s enforcement procedures.

These are practical points where a shallow reading produces the wrong operational assumption. Always use the Attachment TS#s as the definitive place to extract technical constraints, and cross‑check licence numbers and status with current regulator records and the relevant Ministerial notifications and Technical Planning Guidelines.

Compliance under this Determination is primarily technical and administrative. The Plan sets the service categories, licence areas, and transmitter technical specifications that a broadcaster must respect or account for. Below are concrete steps and checks grounded in the Determination and its Attachments.

1. Establish the legal licence status for your proposed service.

   • Verify whether the service and licence area you seek is listed as "Licensed" or "Available" in the relevant Schedule (SCHEDULES ONE-FOUR). For example, SL4127 (Commercial AM 1188 kHz) is shown as "Licensed" in Schedule One and has technical specifics in Attachment 1.8. Do not rely solely on the status/frequency column in the Schedules because the Schedules themselves state those columns are included as additional information and are correct only as at the publication date.

2. Confirm the applicable service licence requirement.

   • The Schedules note "the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 only requires service licences for Commercial and Community services." If you are proposing a commercial or community service, confirm whether a service licence has already been issued (Service Licence No. in Schedules) or whether you must apply for a new licence. For national and open narrowcasting services the Service Licence No. field shows "N/A", but those categories remain regulated under the statutory framework and may be subject to ministerial arrangements.

3. Use the Attachments (TS#) as the authoritative technical specification.

   • For each transmitter you intend to use, consult the corresponding Attachment and TS#. The TS lists carrier frequency (centre frequency), emission band and mode (VHF‑FM or MF‑AM), maximum antenna height, maximum ERP or CMF, polarisation, and AMG co‑ordinates. For example:
     • Attachment 1.9, TS10004859: 95.1 MHz FM, polarisation mixed, maximum antenna height 30 m, maximum ERP 10 kW, nominal site Table Top Mountain AMG Zone 56 Easting 313600 Northing 6704400.
     • Attachment 1.8, TS4127001: 1188 kHz AM, Maximum CMF 560 V, site Site 5 Inverell.
   • Plan engineering and procurement to achieve and not exceed these maxima.

4. Consult and apply the Technical Planning Guidelines (TPG).

   • Every Attachment includes "Site Tolerance : Refer to Technical Planning Guidelines." Before finalising mast siting, transmitters, or coverage predictions, obtain and apply the TPG to understand allowed deviations from nominal coordinates, protection criteria, contour planning, and interference avoidance measures.

5. Respect coverage special conditions where provided.

   • Some TS Attachments include explicit coverage radii with AMG reference points: Attachment 1.12 imposes a 30 kilometre coverage radius from the specified Table Top AMG co‑ordinates; Attachment 1.13 imposes a 20 kilometre radius from a different AMG reference. If your planning, promotional claims, or signal modelling assumes a wider coverage area, obtain regulatory confirmation before operating beyond the stated radius.

6. When multiple TS#s are associated with a single Service Licence No, understand the licence structure.

   • For example SL10322 appears to correspond to three separate transmitters (Attachments 1.9-1.11). Confirm in the service licence whether those transmitters are authorised under a single licence with multiple authorised sites or whether different licence instruments apply.

7. Engage in frequency planning and interference analysis based on the declared technical parameters.

   • Use the TS listed carrier frequencies and ERP/CMF maxima to model protected contours and adjacent channel interference. Where the Plan lists low ERP values (for example 50 W in Attachments 1.5-1.7) you should model whether those power levels are sufficient given local terrain and population centres. The TPG will guide contour calculation methodologies and allowed offsets.

8. Check Ministerial notifications for "Reserved" capacity.

   • If a channel is marked "Reserved" (Schedules), determine the underlying Ministerial notification referenced. Those notifications can determine whether the reserved capacity is earmarked for national services (for example ABC/SBS) or for community use, and whether the channel is therefore off‑limits to commercial applicants.

9. Confirm any other licence conditions in the service licence instrument.

   • The Determination shows only technical parameters and allocation status. The service licence itself will set conditions on content, reporting, renewal, transfer, and possibly fees. Obtain and comply with the full service licence text for your Service Licence No (for example SL1150086, SL1150087) to understand obligations beyond the technical envelope.

10. Engage with planning authorities and local approvals where mast construction is required.

    • Antenna heights and site co‑ordinates are given, but mast construction and local zoning approvals will involve local government and planning consent in addition to compliance with the TS# constraints. Use the AMG site coordinates and maximum antenna heights from the relevant Attachment to prepare planning applications.

11. Keep records and be prepared for verification.

    • Because enforcement will compare actual transmitter parameters to the TS#s and AMG coordinates, maintain records: as‑built antenna heights, ERP calibration records, mapped coordinates, and propagation studies linked to the TS#s and TPG allowances.

12. Reconcile historical ABS collection district definitions when dealing with community obligations.

    • Licence areas are defined by ABS CDs as at the 1991 Census (Attachments 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1). If licence conditions or funding depends on community demographics or footprint, verify which ABS definition the licence instrument adopts and whether prior or subsequent boundary changes affect the licence area.

Practical implementation example:

• A prospective community broadcaster seeking the Inverell RA2 community frequency should: (a) confirm SCHEDULE TWO shows "Community , Available , 91.9 MHz , SL1150086" (Schedule Two and Attachment 2.2); (b) obtain and comply with TS10008100 in Attachment 2.2 (Table Top Mountain, 91.9 MHz, 1 kW ERP, maximum antenna height 30 m); (c) apply the TPG for site tolerance; (d) prepare a licence application in the form required by the ABA under the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 and provide technical and community service details aligned to the ABS collection districts specified in Attachment 2.1.

In short, compliance demands aligning your legal licence status with the Service Licence No listed (or applying for a licence where "Available" is shown), designing and operating transmitters to the precise TS# parameters in the Attachments, applying the Technical Planning Guidelines for site tolerances, and consulting the service licence and Ministerial notifications for any content or reservation constraints not set out in the Plan.