Greens welcome Finkelstein’s News Media Council

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown today welcomed the Independent Inquiry into Media and Media Regulation undertaken by former Justice of the Federal Court of Australia, Mr Ray Finkelstein QC, with the assistance of Dr Matthew Ricketson.

"The Greens are very pleased with the recommendation that a News Media Council be established to set journalistic standards for the news media in consultation with the industry, and handle complaints made by the public when those standards are breached," Senator Brown said in Canberra.

"We applaud the government for enabling this very important inquiry outcome.

"The report vindicates the Greens' push for a media inquiry and we look forward to action by the government in the public interest, this year. This is a good strong outcome for both the media and the public interest in Australia," Senator Brown said.

Senator Brown, in Green Magazine, recently:

The Murdoch papers have gone apoplectic on the Greens' proposed media inquiry. They, who inquire into everyone else, can't stand the spotlight on themselves. Here's a fraction of the insults these papers have disgorged against the inquiry or the Greens in recent times:

Brown's call is "disgraceful and opportunistic slander" (Herald Sun), "an attempt to limit public scrutiny of the privileged few who strut the halls of power" (Adelaide Advertiser), a "first step to totalitarianism" (NT News), "a golden opportunity to smear local journalists" (Daily Telegraph),"accusatory denunciations ... made by Brown and his mindless sycophants against those who question their ... extremist agenda" (ibid), "the media inquiry flagrantly designed by the Government and the Greens to punish only media organisations whose newspapers [such as this one] have most embarrassed them and exposed their mistakes" (ibid), "You'd think you were in the Soviet Union. Truly" (Herald Sun), "a witch hunt against the News Ltd newspapers which don't pay him enough respect" (Brisbane Sunday Mail), "We said Senator Brown and his Green colleagues ... should be destroyed at the ballot box ... we have been pilloried for it" (The Australian, as victim), "the Greens are salivating at the prospect of muzzling their critics" (Herald Sun), and "This is the green face of fascism" (The Australian).