Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

Thanks, Senator Hanson-Young. Of course we believe it is important for all media outlets to separate what is fact from opinion, and there is an important role for the media to make sure that, when they are reporting what are supposed to be facts, they demonstrate the facts and do put out the facts. When they want to have something to say in an opinion piece, then go for your life, but there shouldn't be a blurring of the two. Unfortunately, we have seen occasions where that distinction has been blurred. That's not in the interests of the media in Australia, and I don't think it's in the interests of good public commentary about debate.

It's not really for me, as a representing minister, to judge whether particular outlets may have breached media codes, but I would say, very strongly, to all media outlets, no matter who they are, that the public expects that media codes be followed and that factual information will be presented in a non-opinion form, leaving opinion pieces for their rightful place in our democracy, but not blurring them with fact. (Time expired)