John Murphy (Lowe, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

I again raise my grave concerns about the government’s shotgun inquiry into the Broadcasting Services Amendment (Media Ownership) Bill 2006. This particular bill goes to the heart of our democracy. This bill is a serious public interest matter. I am not going to stop speaking about this government allowing our two biggest media companies to own television stations, radio stations, newspapers and monopoly pay television and not allowing a fourth free-to-air television network, while at the same time allowing those media companies to get a stranglehold on new media and the internet. This is an absolute disgrace. Senator Coonan has behaved in the most venal way. She should be flogged, and so should the Prime Minister, for handing over our democracy to News Ltd and PBL.

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