Senator BROWN —My question is also addressed to the Minister for Communications and the Arts. It follows the death of Princess Diana this week. I refer to the question I asked on 10 October last year about the harassment of the Princess by the global press through a story which turned out to be as false as it was scandalous. You said at the time, Minister:

It is really not a matter for the Australian government to have a view on that sort of behaviour.

In light of the tragic events of this week, is it still not a matter for the government to have a view on behaviour which many world leaders have said requires action?

Senator ALSTON —We are all still reeling with shock from the events of last Sunday morning, our time. I suppose that most of those media reports do suggest that the car in which Princess Diana was travelling was being at least pursued by some freelance photographers. In one report I saw there was even a suggestion that there was a motorcyclist zigzagging in front of the vehicle. Those are clearly matters for the French authorities. They have had seven people in custody for 48 hours. I imagine that they will be pursuing whatever solutions are appropriate. If charges are to be laid, that is a matter for them.

The wider question is the extent to which it is acceptable in modern society for public figures to be pursued and, in many instances, I suspect, photographed without their knowledge. I have seen suggestions that it may well make sense to say that you should not be able to photograph a person on private property.

In the first instance, it would be very interesting to see the response from the media around the world. I do not think Australia has ever been a significant problem in this regard. So I certainly do not think we should be leading the world in pursuing an appropriate outcome. But I do think it will be of importance to gauge the reaction of the world's media in an endeavour to ensure that nothing like this can happen again and particularly to investigate whether a line ought to be drawn in relation to the privacy of celebrities.

But it does not follow from that that governments ought to be rushing in with a whole new set of privacy laws. In many respects, I think the tragedy of these events may well lead to a measured outcome which would not make it necessary to pursue statutory solutions.

But, as I say, I think we will all be following the events closely. If it is in fact true that the car was being pursued and was travelling at speeds of up to 160 kilometres in order to get away from people who simply would not take no for an answer, then that is certainly unacceptable conduct and we would not condone it in any way.

Senator BROWN —Madam President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister for his answer. I recognise the great difficulties in this conflict between freedom of the press and privacy. Will the minister seek to have the government keep in contact with the French and British governments and other governments who are reviewing this matter beyond watching press comment? In light of calls from some Australian personalities about their concern that this phenomenon is beginning to arise in Australia, will the government review moves in other parts of the world in order to come to a better judgment as to where the line does lay between personal privacy and freedom of the press?

Senator ALSTON —I think Senator Brown is right—a line does have to be drawn. Certainly the government will be doing a lot more than just reading the newspapers on this matter. I expect there will be the relevant contacts that you referred to so that we are in a position to make proper judgements about the appropriate responses in other countries and, if necessary, in our own. If we proceed on that basis we will have a more sensible or more detached view of what is necessary in this area.