The Prime Minister gets his Media Reforms Through
The PM gleefully announced that at the 2 year anniversary of his Prime Ministership he has progressed the
media reforms through the Senate.
Senator Bridget Mckenzie and Senator Dean Smith have helped lead negotiations.
The Senate passed late last night to remove the 2/3 rule, 75% reach rule and license fee abolitions.
Further restrictions on gambling advertising are part of the package.
There is a regional media support fund in the form of a $60 million package that contains cadetships and scholarships for regional and independent media.
Senator Bridget McKenzie has been given credit for negotiating the outcomes for regional and rural
Australia.
“there is more diversity in the media than we’ve ever had before” the PM said.
He said the previous legislation goes back to the day when we had only 3 commercial television stations and that was it.
He also said he would make sure online media players pay tax and compete but compete fairly and in accordance with our law.
Joining the Prime Minister the Communications Minister Senator Mitch Fifield sad there are 3 ways to progress a level playing field, tax, copyright, competition law which are all being used in this case.
He has also commissioned the ACC to undertake a market inquiry for the Facebook and Google’s of this world.
It looks like we’ll be seeing a lot of Parliamentary functions from them over the next few months.
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