2021-12-10
The Greens will go to the election fighting for a judicial inquiry into media regulation and ownership in Australia and will push for the inquiry in the next parliament and minority government.
Greens Spokesperson for Media and Chair of the Committee Inquiry into Media Diversity Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
"We need a judicial inquiry with the powers of a Royal Commission because politicians and political parties are too weak-kneed in the face of Murdoch’s power and influence to make and break political careers.
"The public is urging us to have the courage to take on the serious issues of media diversity, disinformation and put in place a regulatory system that is hit for purpose.
"The Greens will push in next parliament and minority government for a judicial inquiry into media regulation and ownership.
"The Greens are the only party brave enough to stand up to the Murdoch-media empire and back the half a million Australians calling for a Royal Commission.
"The retreat by Labor shows just how much power News Corp wields in Australia. The monopoly of the Murdoch-media empire is a cancer on our democracy.
"After more than a year of taking an enormous amount of evidence, the majority of the committee concluded the regulatory system is broken and concentrated media ownership is a threat to our democracy.
"The majority report urges an independent judicial inquiry so that politics is left out of it and there is trust and integrity in the process. Labor’s disregard of their own senators’ support for the recommendations has shown just how necessary such independence is."