Sky News on the Hour with Laura Jayes
Press Gallery Canberra
15 September 2017
9:55am
E & OE
LAURA JAYES:
Minister thanks for your time, what was more difficult wrangling the crossbench here or wrangling media bosses?
FIFIELD:
That would be telling. But I do need to commend my crossbench colleagues, also my coalition colleagues, and the leaders of Australia’s media industry who were prepared to look beyond their own legitimate organisational interests to the broader welfare of Australian media. So today is a good day for jobs and a good day for strong Australian media voices.
JAYES:
Look we have heard a lot about what the media landscape might look like, there is a bit of crystal ball gazing. But there is not a lot that the Government is about fake news at the moment. Do you see it is a problem, and do you see it as a role for Government going forward?
FIFIELD:
Well there is fake news, we don’t like it. We don’t like any organisation that purports to present things as fact that aren’t. But part of the antidote is to ensure that we have good strong Australian media organisations who are credible and can be trusted.
JAYES:
It’s interesting to look at the media landscape at the moment. And I should say that Malcolm Turnbull couldn’t get this when he was Communications Minister, so I am sure you have ribbed him about that behind the scenes. But it is two years since he took over as the Prime Minister, was it worth knifing a first time PM to get in there do you think?
FIFIELD:
Look our party room made a decision two years back. And since that time we have managed to get media reform through the Parliament, we’ve got education reform through the Parliament. We’ve re-established the Australian Building and Construction Commission. We’ve established a Registered Organisations Commission. We’ve reformed childcare. We’ve got the Budget back on a path to surplus. These are all good things. These are all things that they said wouldn’t get through this Parliament – and they have. We are focused on the people’s business, and Malcolm Turnbull is absolutely delivering.
JAYES:
Well Mitch Fifield being a tough media environment we do need to go to an add break to ensure the wages are paid of course. So we thank you for your time and we will see these merges and acquisitions. A flurry of them no doubt in the coming years. Thanks so much for your time.
FIFIELD:
Thanks Laura and welcome back.
[ends]