Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Reid for his question and his ongoing interest in media issues. It is indeed vital that the media take seriously their responsibility to report the facts with honesty and integrity. The media's main role is to report the news, not to make the news. I know the vast majority of the press gallery here do their jobs with integrity each and every day right across the spectrum, but there are some examples that should serve as cautionary tales.

In 2009 the Godwin Grech affair, also known as Utegate, and broken by Steve Lewis of News Limited, showed that certain parts of the media were involved in the attempted sabotage of a democratically elected government. Time and the truth ultimately brought out the real story in that matter. Now we are seeing another example that should be taken extremely seriously. Members will recall the splash, again by Steve Lewis, on 20 April about allegations of sexual harassment against the Speaker—

Mr Danby interjecting—

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