edited
23rd Jan 2015
Broadcasting Services Amendment (Media Ownership) Bill 2006 - Second Reading - Agree with the bill's main idea
Passed by a small majority
No rebellions 88% attendance
18th Oct 2006, 12:02 PM – Representatives Broadcasting Services Amendment (Media Ownership) Bill 2006 - Consideration in Detail - Remove new cross-media ownership laws from bill
Summary
EditThe majority disagreed that the new cross-media ownership laws should be removed from the bill. Labor MP Stephen Smith had suggested this in a motion because he believes that the new laws contained in the bill don't protect media diversity (read his whole speech and the related debate).
What does the bill do?
The bill will introduce new laws relating to cross media ownership. Specifically, it will permit cross-media mergers in radio licence areas where sufficient diversity of media groups remains following the merger.
The bill states that there is sufficient diversity of media groups if there are at least five separate media groups in mainland State capitals and at least four groups in other licence areas following any merger activity.
What are the current cross media ownership laws?
Under the current law, a person can't control two types of media (including TV, radio and newspaper media) within the same licence area. For example, one person can't control a commercial television broadcasting licence and a commercial radio broadcasting licence within a particular area. Nor can they control a commercial radio broadcasting licence and a newspaper associated with the area.
A person is considered to be in control of the particular type of media if they have interests in the company greater than 15%.
Background to the bill
Since it was elected in 1996, the Coalition Government has made its interest in amending Australia's media ownership laws clear. It has asked the advice of the Productivity Commission and previously introduced the Broadcasting Services Amendment (Media Ownership) Bill 2002 and the Broadcasting Services Amendment (Media Ownership) Bill 2002 (No 2), but neither were passed.
The Government restated its commitment to amend these media ownership laws during the 2004 election, in which it was re-elected.
Read more about the background to the bill in its bills digest.
Votes Not passed by a small majority
Nobody rebelled against their party.
| Party | Votes | |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Labor Party (86% turnout) | 51 Yes – 0 No | |
| Dick Adams Lyons | Yes | |
| Anthony Albanese Grayndler | Yes | |
| Kim Beazley Brand | Yes | |
| Arch Bevis Brisbane | Yes | |
| Sharon Bird Cunningham | Yes | |
| Chris Bowen Prospect | Yes | |
| Anna Burke Chisholm | Yes | |
| Tony Burke Watson | Yes | |
| Anthony Byrne Holt | Yes | |
| Ann Corcoran Isaacs | Yes | |
| Simon Crean Hotham | Yes | |
| Michael Danby Melbourne Ports | Yes | |
| Justine Elliot Richmond | Yes | |
| Annette Ellis Canberra | Yes | |
| Kate Ellis Adelaide | Yes | |
| Craig Emerson Rankin | Yes | |
| Laurie Ferguson Reid | Yes | |
| Martin Ferguson Batman | Yes | |
| Joel Fitzgibbon Hunter | Yes | |
| Peter Garrett Kingsford Smith | Yes | |
| Steve Georganas Hindmarsh | Yes | |
| Jennie George Throsby | Yes | |
| Steve Gibbons Bendigo | Yes | |
| Sharon Grierson Newcastle | Yes | |
| Alan Griffin Bruce | Yes | |
| Jill Hall Shortland | Yes | |
| Michael Hatton Blaxland | Yes | |
| Chris Hayes Werriwa | Yes | |
| Kelly Hoare Charlton | Yes | |
| Julia Irwin Fowler | Yes | |
| Harry Jenkins Scullin | Yes | |
| Catherine King Ballarat | Yes | |
| Carmen Lawrence Fremantle | Yes | |
| Kirsten Livermore Capricornia | Yes | |
| Jenny Macklin Jagajaga | Yes | |
| Robert McClelland Barton | Yes | |
| Bob McMullan Fraser | Yes | |
| Daryl Melham Banks | Yes | |
| John Murphy Lowe | Yes | |
| Brendan O'Connor Gorton | Yes | |
| Gavan O'Connor Corio | Yes | |
| Julie Owens Parramatta | Yes | |
| Tanya Plibersek Sydney | Yes | |
| Roger Price Chifley | Yes | |
| Bernie Ripoll Oxley | Yes | |
| Rod Sawford Port Adelaide | Yes | |
| Bob Sercombe Maribyrnong | Yes | |
| Stephen Smith Perth | Yes | |
| Warren Snowdon Lingiari | Yes | |
| Kelvin Thomson Wills | Yes | |
| Maria Vamvakinou Calwell | Yes | |
| Graham Edwards Cowan | Absent | |
| Julia Gillard Lalor | Absent | |
| Duncan Kerr Denison | Absent | |
| Nicola Roxon Gellibrand | Absent | |
| Kevin Rudd Griffith | Absent | |
| Wayne Swan Lilley | Absent | |
| Lindsay Tanner Melbourne | Absent | |
| Kim Wilkie Swan | Absent | |
| Dave Tollner Solomon Country Liberal Party | No | |
| Ian Causley Page Deputy Speaker | No | |
| Peter Andren Calare Independent | Yes | |
| Bob Katter Kennedy Independent | Yes | |
| Harry Quick Franklin Independent | Yes | |
| Tony Windsor New England Independent | Yes | |
| Liberal Party (92% turnout) | 0 Yes – 67 No | |
| Tony Abbott Warringah | No | |
| Kevin Andrews Menzies | No | |
| Fran Bailey McEwen | No | |
| Mark Baker Braddon | No | |
| Bob Baldwin Paterson | No | |
| Phillip Barresi Deakin | No | |
| Kerry Bartlett Macquarie | No | |
| Bruce Billson Dunkley | No | |
| Julie Bishop Curtin | No | |
| Russell Broadbent McMillan | No | |
| Mal Brough Longman | No | |
| Alan Cadman Mitchell | No | |
| Steven Ciobo Moncrieff | No | |
| Alexander Downer Mayo | No | |
| Trish Draper Makin | No | |
| Peter Dutton Dickson | No | |
| Kay Elson Forde | No | |
| Warren Entsch Leichhardt | No | |
| Pat Farmer Macarthur | No | |
| David Fawcett Wakefield | No | |
| Michael Ferguson Bass | No | |
| Teresa Gambaro Petrie | No | |
| Joanna Gash Gilmore | No | |
| Petro Georgiou Kooyong | No | |
| Barry Haase Kalgoorlie | No | |
| Gary Hardgrave Moreton | No | |
| Stuart Henry Hasluck | No | |
| Greg Hunt Flinders | No | |
| Dennis Jensen Tangney | No | |
| Michael Johnson Ryan | No | |
| David Jull Fadden | No | |
| Michael Keenan Stirling | No | |
| Jackie Kelly Lindsay | No | |
| Andrew Laming Bowman | No | |
| Sussan Ley Farrer | No | |
| Peter Lindsay Herbert | No | |
| Jim Lloyd Robertson | No | |
| Ian Macfarlane Groom | No | |
| Louise Markus Greenway | No | |
| Margaret May McPherson | No | |
| Stewart McArthur Corangamite | No | |
| Sophie Mirabella Indi | No | |
| Gary Nairn Eden-Monaro | No | |
| Brendan Nelson Bradfield | No | |
| Chris Pearce Aston | No | |
| Geoff Prosser Forrest | No | |
| Christopher Pyne Sturt | No | |
| Don Randall Canning | No | |
| Kym Richardson Kingston | No | |
| Andrew Robb Goldstein | No | |
| Philip Ruddock Berowra | No | |
| Alby Schultz Hume | No | |
| Patrick Secker Barker | No | |
| Peter Slipper Fisher | No | |
| Tony Smith Casey | No | |
| Alex Somlyay Fairfax | No | |
| Andrew Southcott Boothby | No | |
| Sharman Stone Murray | No | |
| Cameron Thompson Blair | No | |
| Ken Ticehurst Dobell | No | |
| Wilson Tuckey O'Connor | No | |
| Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth | No | |
| Danna Vale Hughes | No | |
| Ross Vasta Bonner | No | |
| Barry Wakelin Grey | No | |
| Mal Washer Moore | No | |
| Jason Wood La Trobe | No | |
| Bruce Baird Cook | Absent | |
| Bronwyn Bishop Mackellar | Absent | |
| Peter Costello Higgins | Absent | |
| Joe Hockey North Sydney | Absent | |
| John Howard Bennelong | Absent | |
| Judi Moylan Pearce | Absent | |
| National Party (73% turnout) | 0 Yes – 8 No | |
| John Anderson Gwydir | No | |
| John Forrest Mallee | No | |
| Luke Hartsuyker Cowper | No | |
| De-Anne Kelly Dawson | No | |
| Peter McGauran Gippsland | No | |
| Paul Neville Hinkler | No | |
| Bruce Scott Maranoa | No | |
| Mark Vaile Lyne | No | |
| John Cobb Parkes | Absent | |
| Kay Hull Riverina | Absent | |
| Warren Truss Wide Bay | Absent | |
| David Hawker Wannon Speaker | Absent | |
| Totals (88% turnout) | 55 Yes – 77 No |
Turnout is the percentage of members eligible to vote that did vote.