Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

One of the reasons it is important to abolish the two-out-of-three rule is that the two-out-of-three rule does not recognise that the internet exists. The two-out-of-three rule is predicated on there being only three media platforms: commercial radio, print and TV. It would be self-evident, I think, that that is not actually the world that we live in today. We do not want to see our own Australian media organisations shackled by rules that do not apply to Netflix, Google, Facebook or Apple.

There is no justification for the two-out-of-three rule. Even without the two-out-of-three rule there will be adequate rules still in place to ensure diversity. There will still be ACCC requirements. I do not think lack of diversity in media is something that we need have a fear of.