Grave concerns with Fairfax overhaul: MPs

The NSW upper house has passed a motion expressing “grave concerns” with Fairfax’s restructure plans and proposed job cuts.

The company announced on Monday it would close two printing presses, slash 1900 jobs and move to a tabloid format.

Greens NSW MP John Kaye, who moved the motion on Thursday, said the reforms jeopardised “democracy in this state”.

“The Legislative Council recognised that the Fairfax restructure endangers the quality, depth and breadth of reporting, current affairs and news analysis,” he said in a statement.

“A weakened Fairfax would mean less exposure of politicians behaving badly.”

Mr Kaye said the staff cuts couldn’t occur without wide-ranging consequences.

“Losing 150 editorial positions inevitably means that there will be fewer journalists to probe and report on the political and cultural life of the state,” he said.

Last week, the upper house passed another motion calling on Fairfax management to abandon plans to outsource local production jobs to New Zealand.

Comment was being sought from Fairfax.

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