Freedom and diversity of the press, and accessible media and communications systems are integral to a successful democratic society.
Principles
The Australian Greens believe that:
- Freedom of the press and effective, affordable and accessible media and communications systems are integral to the functioning of a successful democratic society.
- Everyone should be able to access a variety of affordable telecommunications.
- Media diversity in content and format is everyone’s right.
- Australian content should be strongly supported and well-funded.
- Strong, independent public and community media are an essential part of Australia's media sector.
- Australia must have an independent regulatory framework for media, communications and advertising.
- Public ownership of essential communications infrastructure and diversity of commercial media ownership is in the best interests of a democratic society.
- Business models based on social ownership can provide for a more democratic and pluralistic culture within media outlets.
- Public funding should be increased for public interest journalism generated by independent outlets across all media platforms, to support media diversity
- Net neutrality is important for an open internet.
- For-profit digital corporations which operate as effective monopolies pose a threat to a free and open internet.
- Major digital platforms and processes are essential to the functioning of a modern society, should be treated as public utilities and regulated in the public interest.
- Regulation of digital platforms in the public interest which prioritises addressing the underlying harmful business models of digital platforms.
- Digitalisation of broadcasting and other services requires government support and a public education campaign.
- Documents placed in the public domain by governments should be accessible with free non-proprietary software, and public data should be made available in open, interoperable formats.
- The government should lead by example and embrace open source and open standards.
- Strong national standards are needed to promote a wider representation of people in all their diversity and to prevent harmful stereotyping.
- Coverage of significant national, sporting and cultural events should be free-to-air.
- Disinformation and misinformation pose a threat to democracy, public discourse, and health & safety.
- All media outlets should adhere to the MEAA's Journalist Code of Ethics or a credible equivalent set of standards.
Aims
The Australian Greens want:
A free and fair press
- The protection of anonymous journalistic sources, including whistleblowers and their legal representation, and publishers and journalists engaged in public interest journalism to ensure press freedom.
- Warrant applications for police raids on journalists and media companies to be issued only by superior courts and journalists to be able to challenge warrants before they are implemented.
- A unified, nationally consistent approach to Court Suppression Orders, where suppression orders are to have significant justification for use.
- Truth in political advertising laws to be legislated and an independent authority to investigate complaints.
- An increased number of women in senior media positions and gender equality at all levels of the media industry.
- To resource local affairs reporting to ensure consistent and quality coverage of local government, courts and community affairs in the public interest, with secure jobs for journalists.
- Incentives to small and medium-sized independent media organisations in order to expand the publishing of public interest investigative journalism.
- Protection of our public broadcasters against defunding and privatisation.
Our screen industries
- High quality Australian content across all media genres.
- Adequate public funding, and incentives to encourage private funding to maintain a healthy Australian film industry and to ensure Australia's cultural media history is preserved and protected.
- Our public broadcasters - ABC and SBS - to be publicly funded to be leaders in the production of independent news, investigative journalism, analysis, entertainment and innovative programming, and be free of advertising.
- The ABC and the SBS to be governed by boards independent of government that include staff-elected representation.
- A vibrant and adequately publicly-funded community media sector providing services that reflect geographical and cultural diversity.
- Important sporting events and other events of national and cultural significance to be available live on free-to-air television and corresponding broadcaster streaming services.
Media ownership, regulation and freedom of speech and expression
- The establishment of a single, independent media regulator across all platforms with adequate funding and powers.
- Diversity of both opinion and ownership of media across Australia and strict protections against the concentration or monopolisation of media ownership.
- Reform to competition laws to minimise future consolidation of media companies.
- To break up the concentrated ownership of large private media organisations with worker or community ownership being key outcomes.
- Individuals and organisations to be protected from defamation actions designed to stifle participation in public debates.
- A nationally consistent approach to the regulated sale of X-rated material.
- Effective regulation of the digital games industry to ensure children are not exposed to excessive violence or sexual content.
- Transparency and public accountability for the workings of the Australian Classification Board, the Office of Film and Literature Classification and the Australian Communications and Media Authority website blacklist.
- Introduction of employee-elected staff representatives to editorial boards.
- A ban on media advertising of gambling products, fossil fuels, alcohol, and nicotine.
Postal services and communications infrastructure
- The equitable installation of new communications infrastructure across Australia.
- Affordable and reliable high speed internet connections available for the community.
- The National Broadband Network to focus on ‘fibre to the premises’ infrastructure rather than ‘fibre to the node’, in order to ensure effective investment of resources in a long-lasting advanced telecommunications system for the benefit of all residents.
- Government to provide a not-for-profit mobile, landline and internet retail service to the community.
- The installation of communications infrastructure, including mobile phone towers, to be subject to improved state, territory and local government planning provisions and community consultation.
- Australia Post to remain a publicly-owned provider of postal services.
Digital infrastructure
- A tax on the digital advertising revenue of major technology organisations, to financially sustain independent, local and socially-owned media outlets.
- Regulation of the internet to be transparent, accountable and protective of privacy, freedom of speech and access to information.
- The establishment of a national regulatory framework and energy efficiency standard for data centres.
- Sufficient resources and funding for libraries to improve their digital services.
Intellectual property rights and licensing
- A reduction in the timeframe of the transition of intellectual property into the public domain.
- Legislative recognition of a broader array of copyright licence types.
- The reform of copyright and licensing schemes to give legal protection and clearer guidelines for fair use, crown copyright and public domain works.
- Government to provide policy frameworks supportive of open standards and free open source software, and support government, business, education and other sectors to derive sustainable advantages through adoption of open standards.
- Free and open publishing of publicly-funded academic research within a 12-month period of initial publication and the establishment and resourcing of a research archive for this research.
(Media and Communications Policy as amended by National Conference June 2023.)