Related
Stories
The leader
of Australia's Green party has called on the government to investigate Rupert
Murdoch's extensive media holdings in Australia.
 |
| Rupert Murdoch has extensive media holdings in Australia |
Party
leader Bob Brown, a senator, urged the inquiry following fresh revelations in
the UK over the News of the World phone-hacking scandal.
The
Murdoch-owned paper is accused of hacking into the phones of crime victims,
celebrities and politicians.
Mr Brown
said the potential for similar activity in Australia should be probed.
'Prudent'
Prime
Minister Julia Gillard relies on the Greens to keep her minority Labor
government in power.
Speaking in
the Senate on Thursday, Bob Brown called on Communications Minister Stephen
Conroy ''to investigate the direct or indirect ramifications to Australia of
the criminal matters affecting the United Kingdom operations of News
International''.
News
International runs Mr Murdoch's UK newspapers, including the News of the World,
The Sun, The Times and The Sunday Times.
On
Thursday, News International shut down the News of the World following a spate
of fresh revelations.
Speaking
later to Reuters news agency, Mr Brown said: "We have the most Murdoch
media ownership of any country in the world with eight of the 12 metropolitan
dailies owned by the Murdoch empire.
"I
think that it's just prudent to take a raincheck at this stage, because the
events unfolding in London are so serious, and it would be irresponsible for us
not to look at the potential for similar operations to have occurred in
Australia," he said.
Rupert
Murdoch was born in Australia and founded his international media empire there.
His
interests include The Australian, The Daily Telegraph and a 30% stake in Sky
News Australia.
Sky is
bidding to run a government-funded international TV service currently operated
by ABC.
Earlier
this week, the government extended the deadline for the contract to be awarded.
Related Article:
Phone hacking: David Cameron is not out of the sewer yet
Phone-hacking police meet murdered Soham girls' parents
Phone hacking: David Cameron is not out of the sewer yet
Phone-hacking police meet murdered Soham girls' parents
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.