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

A core part of our earlier reform package and of the package being introduced tomorrow is the abolition of the antiquated, outdated two-out-of-three rule, which was designed in an era before the internet existed. It was designed in the 1980s. It does not reflect the world that we live in. That media rule constrains the options available to Australian media organisations. It prevents many of them from configuring themselves in the ways that will best support their businesses. I must say, Paul Anderson, the CEO of Channel 10 for the last 18 months, has been calling for the abolition of the two-out-of-three rule to give his organisation a fighting chance.

Mr President, you and colleagues need not be worried about diversity, because we will maintain the one-to-a-market rule, the two-to-a-market rule, the five-four rule and the ACCC competition provisions; and, also in terms of diversity, let us not forget that we will still have the SBS and we will still have the ABC.