Labor whip Joel Fitzgibbon has stepped up calls for tough new curbs on the media amid signs of dissent within the government over the need for reforms due to go to federal cabinet within weeks.
Mr Fitzgibbon dismissed the changes unveiled last week to update standards for journalists, insisting last night that the latest attempt at self-regulation proved the need for government action.
His comments came amid conflicting views on the need for the reforms and the timetable for an outcome, despite initial plans for a cabinet decision before parliament resumes on August 14.
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has urged a "public interest test" for media proprietors that could put editorial standards at the heart of decisions to approve or reject mergers and acquisitions.
Julia Gillard's advisers are yet to be convinced of the reform proposals, amid strong criticism from media executives including Kim Williams, chief executive of News Limited, publisher of The Australian.
The options include the new ownership test proposed by the Convergence Review led by former IBM Australia managing director Glen Boreham and a news media council advocated by a review of editorial standards by former judge Ray Finkelstein.
Several cabinet ministers have privately voiced support for some of Mr Finkelstein's plan to oversee news coverage, but expressed caution about the need for the public interest test.
While Senator Conroy's office is preparing a submission on the reform plan, it has yet to go to cabinet. Caucus members have voiced stronger support for the Finkelstein proposals rather than the public interest test, partly out of anger at news coverage of the government.
Labor MPs including Doug Cameron, Steve Gibbons and John Murphy have called for stronger oversight of the media while Ed Husic and Nick Champion have cautioned against rushing to regulate.
The Australian Press Council appointed four independent advisers last week to help set standards for journalists, but Mr Fitzgibbon said this came too late to avoid the need for legislation. "It's confirmation that we should push on with broader reform," Mr Fitzgibbon said last night.
The Finkelstein plan would use statutory oversight of the print media for the first time to replace the Press Council with a news media council backed by government funding and legal powers.
The Labor whip and former defence minister signalled that he and others expected cabinet to proceed with changes.
"The recommendations of the Finkelstein inquiry and the Convergence Review were so powerful that I think it would be very hard for the government not to act," he said.
Mr Fitzgibbon dismissed the changes unveiled last week to update standards for journalists, insisting last night that the latest attempt at self-regulation proved the need for government action.
His comments came amid conflicting views on the need for the reforms and the timetable for an outcome, despite initial plans for a cabinet decision before parliament resumes on August 14.
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has urged a "public interest test" for media proprietors that could put editorial standards at the heart of decisions to approve or reject mergers and acquisitions.
Julia Gillard's advisers are yet to be convinced of the reform proposals, amid strong criticism from media executives including Kim Williams, chief executive of News Limited, publisher of The Australian.
The options include the new ownership test proposed by the Convergence Review led by former IBM Australia managing director Glen Boreham and a news media council advocated by a review of editorial standards by former judge Ray Finkelstein.
Several cabinet ministers have privately voiced support for some of Mr Finkelstein's plan to oversee news coverage, but expressed caution about the need for the public interest test.
While Senator Conroy's office is preparing a submission on the reform plan, it has yet to go to cabinet. Caucus members have voiced stronger support for the Finkelstein proposals rather than the public interest test, partly out of anger at news coverage of the government.
Labor MPs including Doug Cameron, Steve Gibbons and John Murphy have called for stronger oversight of the media while Ed Husic and Nick Champion have cautioned against rushing to regulate.
The Australian Press Council appointed four independent advisers last week to help set standards for journalists, but Mr Fitzgibbon said this came too late to avoid the need for legislation. "It's confirmation that we should push on with broader reform," Mr Fitzgibbon said last night.
The Finkelstein plan would use statutory oversight of the print media for the first time to replace the Press Council with a news media council backed by government funding and legal powers.
The Labor whip and former defence minister signalled that he and others expected cabinet to proceed with changes.
"The recommendations of the Finkelstein inquiry and the Convergence Review were so powerful that I think it would be very hard for the government not to act," he said.
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