John Murphy (Lowe, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was heartened yesterday to read an article in the Financial Review titled ‘Nats meet to hammer out media policy’, written by David Crowe. Mr Deputy Speaker Causley, I hope you read that article, being a National Party member. You would be aware of my long campaign against the government’s agenda to reform Australia’s media ownership laws and concentrate media ownership and the consequences for our democracy. Arising from that article yesterday, I fired off a letter to the Financial Reviewand thank heavens the Financial Review has published that—because it gives a little bit of heart to people like me and other members of the opposition that there are some members of the coalition, principally the member for Hinkler and Senator Barnaby Joyce, who are prepared to water down the government’s proposed legislation to concentrate media ownership.

Moreover, I put a question on today’s Notice Paper, question No. 3642, to the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. Mr Deputy Speaker, I ask you to have Senator Coonan answer that question. I have asked Senator Coonan on many occasions whether she will guarantee that there will be no further concentration of media ownership in Australia with regard to the reforms being proposed by her. She refuses to answer that question. I think it is outrageous that Rupert Murdoch and James Packer already have such a large number of media assets in Australia—

Peter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They won’t give you good coverage.

John Murphy (Lowe, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am not afraid of that, because what I am speaking about, as the member for Fisher knows only too well, is an issue that goes to the heart of the public interest and our democracy. It is appalling to concentrate media ownership. Who is running this country—James Packer and Rupert Murdoch? You are allowing it and you should be fighting against it. With great respect, you should be fighting this, and I would hope that the Deputy Speaker goes back to his party room and supports Mr Neville and Senator Joyce in outlawing the government’s proposed agenda, which is going to be a vicious assault on our democracy. It is going to slaughter the public interest. We might as well shut down this place and not have federal elections because, ultimately, they can be determined by Mr Packer’s or Mr Murdoch’s support at a federal election. This is outrageous. It has got to stop. Mr Deputy Speaker, I ask you to get Senator Coonan to answer my question on today’s Notice Paper. (Time expired)