PM Transcripts

PRIME MINISTER 10/ 95
STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P J KEATING MP
CROSS MEDIA RULES
On the radio program PMV this evening the Leader of the Opposition, John
Howard, has confirmed that he has been putting to media proprietors the view
that the 1987 media prohibitions, known as the cross media rules, are
unnecessary and unjustified.
Mr Howard said his public and private views were consistent on this matter.
The public stance he took in 1987 and reaffirmed tonight is that the cross
media rules are unnecessary.
He seeks to skate over the fact these private expressions from a would-be
prime minister become policy expressions, while at the same time saying that
his party's current policy supports the maintenance of the cross media rules.
Mr Howard says his party will at the appropriate time review their current
policy. All this belies the point that he is telling media proprietors privately
as he admits-that he does not agree with the cross media rules.
Where is the public interest?
On the one hand he points to Liberal Party policy which supports the cross
media rules, on the other hand he says his private expressions are consistent
with what he said in 1987, which was that the cross media rules are too
restrictive and unnecessary.
What would any proprietor be entitled to take from his private expressions?
The answer is clearly only one message that John Howard would abolish
the 1987 cross media rules.
CANBERRA FEBRUARY, 1995