Govt is committed to reviewing the Media Act to remove certain controversial provisions – Solicitor General

Solicitor General, Ropate Green says the coalition government is committed to reviewing the Media Industry Development Act to remove certain controversial provisions in response to concerns raised by relevant stakeholders.

While delivering the opening remarks on the first public consultation on the draft Media Bill, Green says they are here to listen to their voice and listen to what they have to say in relation to the Bill.

He says once the public consultation is completed, they will incorporate all the comments into the draft Bill and submit a paper for the cabinet to endorse the Bill before it is tabled in Parliament.

Green says after this, parliamentary processes will take its due course.

Prominent lawyer Richard Naidu who also partly drafted the Media Bill says the media has legitimate viewpoints that the government has to consider and there is a balancing to be done. Naidu says the views have to be taken into account and the government has got to decide what is the right balance.

He adds the government will not try to regulate the content in any way which is a very positive thing for free speech.