Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Ms Rinehart at this point is not breaching the cross-media ownership laws. As I have said previously, these are the watered down laws that do not include a public interest test. But let me be very clear: Ms Rinehart at the moment is not breaching the former government's media concentration—cross-media—laws. She is not in breach of the current laws and she is not in breach of the past laws. The question that is vital, and that goes to the heart of democracy and diversity of opinion, is whether or not Ms Rinehart is willing to sign the charter of independence for the editorial position. She has been very clear that she wants the right to hire and fire the editors. That will cause the readership a crisis of confidence. It will seriously impact on the remaining—