![The front page of <i>The Canberra Times</i> on August 17, 1937. The front page of <i>The Canberra Times</i> on August 17, 1937.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/5W4iRw6LNH53uM23K5syYZ/2d625ad2-8f62-4e1f-9ab1-306ca1049c2d.jpg/r151_72_2101_2612_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Then-opposition leader John Curtin denounced the government's "misuse" of the broadcast licensing system on this day in 1937.
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Mr Curtin quoted a statement made in the House of Representatives by Archdale Parkhill, who represented the postmaster-general Alexander John McLachlan.
"[The statement said] 'we have growing up in this country a monopoly of newspapers and broadcasting which, in combination, constitute a danger that this Parliament cannot view with equanimity, and steps should be taken to deal with it'," a report on the front page of The Canberra Times read.
Mr Curtin asked the postmaster-general what had been done about the issue.
"'The postmaster-general ... declares that I have complained about the way in which a large number of commercial broadcasting stations are controlled and that apparently my remedy of publicly controlling these utilities means only one thing - nationalisation,'" The Times' story read.
Mr Curtin said that he had asked for public control, not nationalisation.
The government was said to be considering producing a report on broadcasting control.