P AUMS TRALIAIS
PRIME_ MINISTER
FOR MEDIA. THURSDAY, 16 JULY 1981
BROADCASTING AND TELEVISION LEGISLATION
The Minister for Communications and myself have made it plain
that there were extensive discussions in the preparatory stages
of the Broadcasting and Television legislation, and so there
should have been. It is Government practice to consult on
legislation where appropriate. As I said in the Parliament
on 5 June, you have to have discussions of highly technical
matters with the proposals in front of you.
Those discussions have resulted in legislation which the
Parliament has passed with a high degree of support. It is
better-legislation than was there before. It is fair legislation.
I did have discussions, including discussions over drafts,
with Mr Searby, whom I have known for many years. He has
advised-me that-he-did-nat-pass -on the -substance Of those
discussions to people in the News Limited organisation.
I also had discussions with Sir Keith McPherson and representatives
of the Herald and Weekly Times. I did not have discussions with
Mr Packer's Consolidated Press organisation. That is the
substance of-my involvement in discussions in relation to this
matter. 000---
BROADCASTING AND TELEVISION LEGISLATION
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