Senate debates Bills
Communications Legislation Amendment (Regional and Small Publishers Innovation Fund) Bill 2017; In Committee
Sarah Hanson-Young SA, Australian Greens
10:46 am
Could the minister explain whether the government supports the objectives of public interest journalism—small publishers who are trying to ensure they can keep themselves sustainable to support the role of public interest journalism, particularly in regional Australia, where the local news is really important when you turn on the radio or you open up your local paper? It is often the lifeblood of the community—the heartbeat of the community—to know what's going on and who's saying and doing what. Surely, the government must believe that those entities, if they put their hand out for public money, should have independent Australian editorial control?
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