Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Hansard source

Unfortunately, the premise of Senator Abetz's question is deeply flawed in its description of the role of the advocate as an overseer. Let me be clear. Those opposite have the view of: 'Don't worry, the Press Council's been working fine now and over the last few years—nothing to look at over here. The Press Council is working fine.' But, if you look at the evidence given at the Finkelstein inquiry by two former chairs of the Australian Press Council and the current Chair of the Australian Press Council, a different story emerges.

For those opposite who claim that the advocate's job is to oversee the Press Council, let us listen to some people who have chaired the Australian Press Council. This is what Professor Ken McKinnon, a former chair of the Australian Press Council, had to say: 'I had an editor say to me: "If you promise not to uphold any complaints from my paper we will double our subscription. Is that a deal?"' This is evidence given to an inquiry chaired by Mr Finkelstein. This is public evidence. No-one tried to suggest it was a joke. Everyone heard the evidence.