Govt scrambling on Media Reform bills
Key legislation in the government's media reforms have been rejected by the Lower House.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
The Government was scrambling last night to shore up enough support for its proposed media reforms after they were rejected by several crossbenchers,
The government lost ground in closed-door talks throughout yesterday, despite drafting legislation to replace its proposed press regulator with an independent commission chosen by a panel of eminent Australians.
The compromise plan, proposed by Queensland independent Bob Katter, for a public interest panel of three to replace the single public interest media advocate proposed by the government was also rejected by independents.
The Prime Minister (due to attend Paul Bongiorno’s 25th celebrations) was last night locked in talks about amendments. Her spokesman said there was hope for the regulations, with one day of parliament left before MPs leave Canberra until the budget in May.
Independent Andrew Wilkie ruled out his support for any of Labor’s four remaining media bills.
“I said at the start that I would only support the reforms if they are warranted and well considered,” the Tasmanian MP said.
“But these reforms are rushed and poorly constructed. Frankly this is a shambles of the government’s own making and no reasonable person could expect quality decisions to be made in these circumstances.”
Two bills that pertain to commercial TV licence fees and the level of local content on broadcast were passed on Tuesday night.
The rejection of the bulk of Senator Conroy’s proposals places added pressure on the leadership of Julia Gillard, while the very newspapers it would affect have been ramping up the campaign for Kevin Rudd to return.
Source: The Australianl The Daily Telegraph, The Age
3 Responses
Lol Conroy is a goose. Did anyone see the footage of him last night on Mad as Hell? Hilarious.
Yes the 75% reach rule will eventually be scratched. Preferably in an orderly fashion with proper debate and with local news and content written into the licence agreements.
But most likely because Channel 9 mergers with Southern Cross to list on the stock market and dumps enough regional stations to stay under 75% cap. Then buys them back or starts new stations later once the rule is gone.
Conroy was only interested in factual politics and winning support from the Left and Greens for poking Murdoch in the eye. He assumed that the rest of the media would join him in ganging up on Murdoch is this stupid endeavour as long as they would profit in the short term. He did manage to buy Channel 9 of with the end of rush removal the reach cap, but that was all.
Fairly typical of this government. Hold a rigged inquiry, sit on the findings for years, then try to use the media to spring legislation and override parliament, the people and anybody who gets in their way.
The idea that you could make a rational case for something, try to win popular support for it and use the processes of parliament to make legislation just never occurs to them.
The remaining four bills with join the anti-discrimination bill and the constitutional amendment on the scrap heap. If only the mining tax, the temporary and pointless carbon tax, the pretend NDIS, the pretend Gonski reforms and had joined them, they might have avoided being decimated at the next election.
The way it is going, both Gillard and Conroy could be gone by this time next week.
The 75% audience reach rule will eventually be squashed, but it seems not by this current parliament. The economics of the shrinking revenue the industy generates will dictate this more than anything.