Jew World Order

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The Federal Government’s announced an independent inquiry into newspapers and online publications. It will also look into strengthening the Press Council’s oversight of complaints. The Communications Minister insists it’s not a witch hunt against News Limited but the Opposition says it’s a political stunt by a Government bitter about being criticised by the media and held to ransom by the Greens.

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MARK COLVIN: The Federal Government’s announced an independent media inquiry.

But it’ll only look at newspapers, magazines and online print websites and it’s specifically excluded from examining ownership.

Former Federal Court judge Ray Finkelstein QC will lead the inquiry.

He’ll be looking at the regulation of Australia’s print media, including online media publications.

The inquiry will also examine the operations of the Press Council.

The Greens leader, Bob Brown, called for a media inquiry two months ago, but this is far narrower than he asked for.

Nevertheless, Senator Brown has congratulated the Government.

The Opposition on the other hand has dismissed the inquiry as a political stunt just to gratify the Greens leader.

From Canberra, Alexandra Kirk reports.

ALEXANDRA KIRK: The Communications Minister Stephen Conroy says it’s the Government’s job to ensure the regulatory and industry structures are strong enough to support healthy and independent media.

STEPHEN CONROY: A healthy and robust media is essential to the democratic process.

ALEXANDRA KIRK: The Minister says the so-called Convergence Review is looking at the broadcasting, telecommunications and radio sectors, so the new inquiry will focus on print and online media regulation and the operation of the print watchdog, the Press Council.

STEPHEN CONROY: The Government believes a separate and distinct examination of the pressures facing newspapers and their newsrooms, including online publications, will enhance our consideration of the policy and regulatory settings that Australia needs to ensure that the news media continues to serve the public interest in the digital age.

ALEXANDRA KIRK: Former Federal Court judge, Ray Finkelstein will head up the independent inquiry, assisted by former journalist turned academic Dr Matthew Ricketson and their findings will be incorporated into the Convergence Review due early next year.

STEPHEN CONROY: The inquiry will be asked to assess the effectiveness of the current media codes of practice in Australia, particularly in light of technological change.

ALEXANDRA KIRK: The inquiry’s been asked to investigate how to strengthen the Press Council’s independence and effectiveness, especially it’s handling of complaints.

STEPHEN CONROY: Let’s be serious the Press Council for many, many years has usually been seen as a fairly toothless tiger. Julian Disney is only recently appointed and he is making some changes. I don’t think any editor or any of you would quake in your boots about a complaint to the Press Council.

ALEXANDRA KIRK: The inquiry won’t have any coercive powers to compel witnesses or subpoena evidence. While the Government’s accused some News Limited papers of running a campaign against it, the Minister insists that’s not what this inquiry’s about.

STEPHEN CONROY: Let me be clear: the Government is not interested in attacking any one media organisation, or in seeking to reduce the necessary scrutiny of the political process that is at the heart of a functioning democratic media. In terms of a witch hunt, to demand that we break up News Ltd, or to attack News Ltd, we’re not interested.

ALEXANDRA KIRK: Greens leader Bob Brown called for a review of Australia’s media two months ago, after the phone hacking scandal that forced the closure of Rupert Murdoch’s News of the World.

He too has accused the Murdoch press of running a campaign against him and for that reason welcomes the fact that it’s an independent, rather than a parliamentary, inquiry.

BOB BROWN: It’s a good thing for Australia’s democratic processes. It is in the public interest. It will serve the public interest. I’m pleased that it’s at arm length from the Parliament.

ALEXANDRA KIRK: The Greens believe the inquiry covers broadcasting, and while the Minister says he doesn’t need an inquiry to tell him that the Murdoch press owns 70 per cent of newspapers in Australia, Senator Brown thinks the ambit is broad enough to look at the issue.

BOB BROWN: It looks at the diversity of the media and how that can be improved for the future. So, yes it does.

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well as you’ve just seen, today’s announcement by Senator Conroy underlines how this Gillard Government is held to ransom by the Greens.

ALEXANDRA KIRK: The Opposition’s communications spokesman, Malcolm Turnbull, says the inquiry’s a waste of money and resources.

MALCOLM TURNBULL: All of the matters referred to in the terms of reference are within the ambit, the proper ambit of the convergence review, and if there were any doubt about that, the terms of reference could be with the stroke of a pen, readily expanded.

But really, this is just a political stunt by a government that is bitter about being criticised by the media, in particular by News Ltd. It’s got into bed with the Greens, who said they wanted to have an inquiry so that they could flay News Ltd executives.

ALEXANDRA KIRK: Malcolm Turnbull’s accused the Government of wanting to impose more regulations on the media.

MALCOLM TURNBULL: I’m for freedom. I’m with Thomas Jefferson. A free press is absolutely vital to a democracy and any attempt by government to trammel that freedom has to be viewed with the greatest suspicion.

What you do, the freedom that you exercise here, while it may annoy us and upset politicians; it certainly annoyed me over the years, it is as important a part of our democracy as anything that goes on in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

And so we should be rightly suspicious of this, because this inquiry was borne out of an objection to the exercise of press freedom.

MARK COLVIN: The Opposition communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull ending Alexandra Kirk’s report.