The Greens have successfully established an inquiry into media diversity with the support of the Senate today.

Greens Spokesperson for Media and Communications Senator Sarah Hanson-Young who is chair of the Environment and Communications References Committee which will conduct the inquiry said:

“The Senate has today agreed to the Greens motion to establish an inquiry into media diversity in this country.

Greens Spokesperson for Communications Senator Sarah Hanson Young responded to the Morrison Government’s terms of reference for an investigation into Australia Post:

“This investigation is supposed to establish whether this publicly-owned essential service is acting in the best interests of its shareholder – the Australian taxpayer - and yet the enormous pay packets and bonuses pocketed by executives don’t get a mention in the terms of reference.

“No one working in the public service should be taking home multi-million-dollar salaries and paid bonuses.

Greens Senator, Sarah Hanson-Young says Australia Post has become quasi-public, quasi private and this is clashing with the community’s expectations for their postal service. 
 
“Australia Post is making huge profits out of an essential service and dishing it out to executives in the form of huge salaries, big bonuses and Cartier watches.
 
“Now we are in the middle of a recession the rubber has really hit the road for public service executives with enormous pay packets. 
 

Not a single dollar of the $250m arts and entertainment package the PM announced with Guy Sebastian four months ago has been spent, the Department has revealed under questioning by Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young at Senate Estimates today.

“The Morrison Government has failed the arts and entertainment industry. The fact not a single dollar of this so-called rescue package has gone to an artist or creative four months after the announcement is a kick in the guts,” Greens Spokesperson for the Arts Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

The Commonwealth DPP’s decision to rule out charges against ABC journalist Dan Oakes is welcome but the lengthy ordeal should never have arisen in the first place, the Greens say.
Greens spokesperson for Media and Chair of the Senate Inquiry into Press Freedoms, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“This case was designed to have a chilling effect on the media by a secretive government.
“Mr Oakes’ reporting was always in the public interest and the fact it’s taken so long for the AFP and CDPP to reach this conclusion highlights our laws are broken and need fixing.

The Greens are again urging the Morrison Government to do more for the Arts and Entertainment Industry after a report released today shows two out of every three jobs in the live entertainment sector have been lost this year. 
Greens Spokesperson for the Arts Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“The Arts and Entertainment Industry was completely ignored in last week's budget despite being the hardest hit by Covid19.
"These latest figures confirm the crisis the Industry has been telling the Government it is in for half a year now. 

The Greens have slammed the Treasurer for forgetting the Arts and Entertainment Industry in the Federal Budget, an oversight that will cost more jobs and make recovery even harder.  

Greens Spokesperson for the Arts Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“The Arts and Entertainment Industry was one of the first to be hit by social distancing restrictions, it has suffered enormously throughout the lockdown and will be one of the last to recover.

The Morrison Government’s changes to local content rules is a missed opportunity to support Australian stories and local jobs, the Greens say.
Greens Spokesperson for Communications, Media and Arts, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“The Government has failed to deliver real reform today and has let the global steaming giants off the hook. This is a decision that if not corrected will cost local jobs and undermine Australia’s creative and cultural heritage.

Greens Spokesperson for Communications and Media Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has welcomed the Government’s announcement of $5 million in funding to save newswire service AAP.
Senator Hanson-Young said:

“Earlier this week, I called on the Government to ensure the survival of AAP as they consider options for protecting public interest journalism through the ACCC News Media Code. I am glad that after months of uncertainty, the Government has finally come to the table with the support AAP needs.”

The Greens have today said the Morrison Government’s Media Code plan is incomplete, calling on the government to include the public broadcasters in the Mandatory Code, ensure the survival of the AAP newswire and protect smaller players. 

Australian Greens Spokesperson for Communications and Media Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has said any Code must protect public broadcasting and public interest journalism.