The Greens will go to the election fighting for a judicial inquiry into media regulation and ownership in Australia and will push for the inquiry in the next parliament and minority government.

Greens Spokesperson for Media and Chair of the Committee Inquiry into Media Diversity Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

"We need a judicial inquiry with the powers of a Royal Commission because politicians and political parties are too weak-kneed in the face of Murdoch’s power and influence to make and break political careers.

The Senate Inquiry into Media Diversity has today recommended that a judicial inquiry with the powers of a royal commission be established to examine whether the existing system of media regulation is fit‐for‐purpose and to investigate the concentration of media ownership in Australia.

Greens spokesperson for the Arts Senator Sarah Hanson-Young responded to the Parliament supporting amendments to a government bill in order to secure the future of the Australian film sector:

"Today the Parliament took on this arrogant Government and won. In doing so, it saved tens of thousands of jobs in the Australia screen and arts sector.

"The Government had attempted to play political games by pitting the industry against itself, but The Greens together with the opposition and cross benchers stood up and said no.

The Greens are urging the Morrison Government to listen to the live music and entertainment industry groups who are again today pleading for a government-backed insurance scheme.

Greens Arts Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young who has laws before the parliament to establish a live performance insurance guarantee said:

“The Morrison Government’s failure to heed the live performance industry’s calls and warnings about the consequences of being uninsured has left it in an incredibly perilous position heading into the festival season.

Greens Spokesperson for Media and Communications Senator Sarah Hanson-Young responded to the Morrison Government’s announcement today it will introduce new laws in relation to online trolls and defamation, calling for the legislation to be sent to a senate inquiry: 

“The Greens have been calling for greater regulation of the tech giants for a long time. There is clearly a big problem with abuse and slurs on social media. 

The Senate has today voted to suspend the senate inquiry initiated by the Morrison Government through a backdoor process to attack and undermine the independence of the ABC.

Greens media and communications spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young announced after the inquiry was established last week that the Greens would move to terminate the inquiry when parliament resumed. Today a Greens and Labor motion was backed by the crossbench suspending the inquiry.

The Greens and Labor have backed new laws for the establishment of a Live Performance Insurance Guarantee in a joint Senate committee report into the legislation released today.

Greens Arts Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young who introduced the legislation in August said:

“The Greens, Labor, state and territory governments and the live performance industry all back this move which would help get shows back on the road.

“After close to two years of calls for it, an insurance guarantee for the live performance industry is well overdue.

Greens Spokesperson for Media and Deputy Chair of the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee Senator Sarah Hanson-Young commented on the establishment of a Senate Inquiry into the ABC by the government-controlled Legislation Committee:   

"This is a partisan attempt to use the Legislation Committee to undermine the independence of the public broadcaster.

"Establishing this inquiry is an abuse of process and power and the Greens will be moving to stop it when the senate resumes in a week.

The Greens will move in the Senate for the Morrison Government to establish a Federal Insurance Guarantee for the live performance and events industry. 

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

“Our live performance and events sector has taken another hit with half the country back in lockdown or living with restrictions more than a year into this Covid pandemic. 

Chair of the Senate Inquiry into Media Diversity Senator Sarah Hanson-Young will move for YouTube’s seven-day ban on Sky News to be investigated by the Committee.

Senator Hanson-Young said she will be requesting that representatives from Sky News, YouTube/Google and ACMA be called to give evidence on the ban and why the broadcasting regulator has failed to take any action.

“The obvious question is if the spread of misinformation isn’t allowed on the internet why is it on television broadcasts?