Greens call for state monitoring of the media

The Green Party wants to make independent media watchdog the Press Council answerable to the Government.

The idea, outlined in the party's broadcasting policy, involves creating a "Broadcasting Commission" that would set, monitor and enforce rules such as minimum local content quotas.

The policy document also suggests the Greens would want the commission to have ultimate authority over the Press Council.

While the Greens say they support "responsible industry self-regulation" as the best system for regulating media content, "appropriate safeguards and incentives must be in place to ensure that responsible self-regulation is effective at controlling negative content".    More Read