Senator KERNOT —My question is to the Minister for Communications and the Arts. The secretary of the coalition's backbench communications committee, Mr Gary Hardgrave, is quoted in today's Sydney Morning Herald as saying:

The committee was more determined than ever that it has a viable role in determining media policy. We will have continuing discussion over the next weeks and months.

How does this sit with your reported push to have cabinet make a decision on cross-media laws as early as next week? Are backbench fears that the issue will be railroaded through cabinet realistic? Can you confirm or deny a report in today's Financial Review that you are considering a grandfather clause to allow Mr Rupert Murdoch's News Ltd to retain its cluster of newspaper titles? How does this sit with your campaign commitment:

. . . our policy is fundamentally different from the Labor Party's in that we are not mogul-specific.

Senator ALSTON —There is a lot of speculation in the newspaper and I am not about to confirm any of it. The fact is that we do have established policy processes on our side of politics. They do not involve doing what Mr Keating used to do—make the odd phone call and then announce it as a matter of course. We consult with all the interested parties and that includes the backbench committee and in due course the party room. So there will be very significant input into all of these decisions, and I very much welcome that because clearly there are people who have different perspectives around Australia and they need to be taken into account.

The fact is that any changes that you make in this area are always going to be construed in a way that reflects the interest of the contributor. We saw that in the submissions that were presented and—

Senator Kernot —What submissions?

Senator ALSTON —It is interesting you say that because I often hear people pretending that somehow no-one knows what is in these submissions. If you want to know what every last word in each of these submissions is, all you have to do is call them up on the Net. They are all there. You can read them. If you want me to, I will send you a summary. They are all there. Every last word is there. I would caution you though: you will need to read the papers fairly carefully because a couple of the people who made submissions at that time have actually changed their views since then. That often happens.

Senator Robert Ray —They followed your lead. You change your mind all the time.

Senator ALSTON —I presume that if they have changed their minds it is for good reasons, as they saw it. The fact is that each and every submission is pretty much predictable from the vested interests that prevail. That is not anything we need to be surprised about, nor, indeed, is the reaction that one gets from those who might fear that any change to the rules might not actually advantage them or would somehow alter the status quo in ways that might provide greater challenges.

At the end of the day, we have made it very clear what we regard as the fundamental principles to be espoused in this area. We are committed to having a policy that does not simply direct itself at the interests of particular proprietors but, rather, enhances the quality of media in this country. That includes not just the traditional media but also new forms of media about which I am sure many senators are already aware—not just developments on the Internet—

Senator Kernot —You can see what has happened in rugby league. Convergence has been a great success in rugby league.

Senator ALSTON —You probably know a bit more about it than I do, Senator Kernot. I am still struggling when the rules are explained to me, but I am doing my best. Undoubtedly, there will be many pay television channels that will specialise in those services. Maybe one day you will get a specialist league channel in the way that we already have a specialist AFL channel. What is much more important is that in the not too distant future—

Senator Robert Ray —You told us you weren't connected.

Senator ALSTON —I am still not, despite some heavy requests, I must say. The fact is that with the introduction of digital television and radio in the not too distant future we are looking at a plethora of diverse sources of information. These matters all need to be reflected in an ongoing policy that can take account of the necessity for diversity of editorial opinion and to ensure that people have access to differing views on issues of major significance.

Senator KERNOT —Minister, does `due course' mean to you some time within the next couple of weeks? Can you explain to us and to the Australian people what emergency or crisis or instability there is in the current ownership of Australian media that would justify you cutting short considered debate within your own party on this important issue? Can you also tell us who is clamouring for change in this policy area?

Senator ALSTON —If you look at those submissions—and I urge you to take some time to do that—you will find that almost of them without exception—

Senator Kernot —Are clamouring for change?

Senator ALSTON —They all, without exception, say the cross-media rules are obsolete, out of date and serve no useful purpose. Indeed, you will find many commentators saying that and many of my colleagues saying that. That has been our consistent position from well before the last election. So you ask yourself, `Why are they there?' I am sure that I do not need to remind you, Senator Kernot, that they were conceived in malice. They were there very deliberately on the part of Paul Keating as a means of punishing and rewarding. They do not serve the purpose that even their most ardent advocates—

Senator Kernot —You won't do that. You won't punish or reward anyone, will you?

Senator ALSTON —Absolutely not. There are principles that ought to be applied. I have just told you that the single most important principle is to ensure that there is diversity of editorial opinion so people are able to understand all sides of important arguments. (Time expired) .