Former Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull have teamed up to push for a royal commission into Australian media, with a particular focus on what they describe as News Corp’s “monopoly” over the market.
The two former leaders, from opposing political parties, made a joint appearance on ABC’s Insiders yesterday calling for a national conversation on News Corp’s power in Australia, as well as in other countries such as the US.
The pair also explained why they think a royal commission, originally called for by Rudd through an online petition, is needed. Rudd’s petition, which was signed by Turnbull, reached a record 501,876 signatures.
Rudd says he launched the petition so that people can call out News Corp’s treatment of figures, such as himself and Turnbull, without being afraid.
“The second objective in this national petition, and I thank Malcolm for signing it, is to establish a royal commission so that all appropriate and alternative media models from other democracies can be examined to maximise media diversity,” Rudd said.
“So we don’t end up with a situation for example in my state of Queensland where nearly 100% of the papers are owned by Murdoch. Monopoly is bad for democracy like it’s bad for the economy.”
.@TurnbullMalcolm & @MrKRudd are a unity ticket on the absolute need to confront the Murdoch media bullies & thugs who seek to determine the future of our democratic politics. The petition being presented to parliament this week is just the beginning of this campaign, not the end pic.twitter.com/FtgR0pvZn8
— Office of Kevin Rudd, 26th PM of Australia (@MrKRudd) November 8, 2020
Turnbull says there’s a “profound” problem with how News Corp media and media more generally is operating.
“The old media model of curated media has been shattered by the internet and social media,” Turnbull said.
“That crazy bitter partisanship of social media has taken over much of what we used to call the mainstream media. So the Murchoch press that used to be a journalistic operation, a news operation that tended to lean more to the right than the left has now become a vehicle of political propaganda. It is just a political operation.”
Both Rudd and Turnbull have been critics of News Corp publications since being toppled as leaders, saying the publications played a role in turning their parties and the public against them.
Rudd says he will table the petition in parliament this week.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.