Labor close to securing numbers

LABOR appears close to securing the votes it needs to pass new laws to oversee media ownership and press standards.

Stephen Conroy

LABOR appears close to securing the votes it needs to pass new laws to oversee media ownership and press standards despite growing differences over other parts of its contentious reform package.

The government drew fire yesterday for splitting the reforms into several bills, but the strategy could ease the way for the planned public interest media advocate to oversee the industry.

The Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has given parliament until the end of next week to decide on a bill to be introduced tomorrow to enforce a public interest test for media mergers and oversee the press.

A separate bill to drop existing TV reach rules, potentially allowing the three big commercial networks to buy regional stations, is to go to a parliamentary inquiry and could be decided within 10 days, but may take longer.

Senator Conroy said he was open to amending the Public Interest Media Advocate Bill, including the public interest test on ownership and the oversight of press standards, but would only do so on the merits of matter rather than "bartering" on other reforms.

Greens communications spokesman Scott Ludlam criticised the minister's ultimatum, but said it was "absolutely possible" to get the changes through parliament by the end of next week.

Senator Ludlam has been a long-time advocate of a public interest test for media proprietors and tougher obligations on newspapers to act on complaints against them.

Coalition sources estimated that Labor could gain support from the Greens and at least four independents to establish the public interest test and the new statutory authority. Labor has 71 votes in the lower house and would need the support of the Greens' Adam Bandt and others to gain 76 votes and pass the changes.

Independent MPs including Rob Oakeshott, Tony Windsor, Peter Slipper and Craig Thomson have been critical of the press during the current parliament.

Mr Oakeshott has urged higher standards for the media in recent months and Mr Windsor yesterday said he wanted media reform, but he would not comment until he saw the details of the government package.

Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie said he believed in free speech and a free press and would approach the reforms with "great care" and would only support them if they were well-crafted.

Mr Oakeshott warned that he might refuse to support any change because of the way Senator Conroy had split the reforms, as well as the way some of the ideas departed from a Convergence Review into the industry last year.

"We look to be a long way from that considered work, and that's really disappointing," Mr Oakeshott told reporters. "It also looks like it's come down to a handful of pieces of legislation and some of the more difficult issues, in Yes, Minister-style, are getting flicked to a committee. If that's where the difficult public policy issues are going to get parked, my initial reaction is unless it's all in, I'm out."

No independent MPs have indicated support for the removal of the 75 per cent reach rule, which prevents major TV networks buying regional stations, such as the proposed $4 billion deal between the Nine Entertainment Co and Southern Cross Media.

Senator Conroy is yet to reveal who will be on the committee that inquires into the reach rule, but a hearing is expected to be held on Friday, one day after the bill is introduced.