21 June 2017
Today in the House of Representatives the Australian Labor Party voted against every element of the Turnbull Government’s Media Reform package by opposing the second and third reading of the relevant bills.
Despite claiming they support most of the package, and despite claiming that parts of it are Labor policy, every Labor MP in the House of Representatives voted against the entire package proceeding.
This means that Labor voted against:
– Licence fee relief for commercial television and radio broadcasters;
– Fairer are more sensible tax arrangements for spectrum to ensure the public receives a fair return for this public asset;
– Media ownership changes that will support Australian companies and Australian jobs against foreign tech competitors;
– New local television content protections for rural and regional communities; and
– Anti-siphoning reform for subscription television.
It is now clear that Bill Shorten, Michelle Rowland and the Australian Labor Party’s media reform policy is to do absolutely nothing and instead oppose everything the industry says it needs to compete and survive.
The Government’s reform package has the unanimous support of the entire Australian media industry.
Who is in a better position to know what is best for the viability of Australian media organisations and the thousands of jobs it supports?
Is it:
a) Seven, Nine, Ten, Prime, WIN, Southern Cross Austereo, Fairfax, News Limited, Commercial Radio Australia, Free TV Australia and ASTRA?
or
b) The Labor Party
Despite Labor’s attempt to again block, frustrate and delay reform, the package passed the House of Representatives.
But today the Labor Party revealed its true purpose is to wreck and oppose for political opportunism. And they don’t care how many businesses and jobs they put in jeopardy along the way.