John Murphy (Reid, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to applaud the courage of Mr Tom Watson and Mr Martin Hickman, who have written a book, Dial M for Murdoch: News Corporation and the Corruption of Britain. I will read just part of this. This book uncovers the inner workings of one of the most powerful companies in the world: how it came to exert a poisonous, secretive influence on public life in Britain; how it used its huge power to bully, intimidate and cover up; and how its exposure has changed the way we look at our politicians, our police service and our press. I will read the conclusions of this book.

Rupert Murdoch was not running a normal business, but a shadow state. Now exposed by the daylight, it has been publicly humbled, its apparatus partially dismantled and its executives in retreat, at least for the moment. It stands shaken and ostensibly apologetic, but it is still there, and Rupert Murdoch is still in charge.

Madam Deputy Speaker, in the very near future we will be considering the future of our media ownership laws in Australia. We will be applying a public interest test and we will also be looking to examine who is a fit and proper person to own a media company in Australia. I exhort everyone in this House to read Dial M for Murdoch

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! In accordance with standing order 43 the time for members' statements has concluded.

Honourable members: More!

No, the standing orders do not allow me to give the member for Reid any more time—nor do they allow me to give time for the member for Wright to make his application for the front bench!