Statement on the Australian Press Council

MEAA’s National Media Section committee has issued the following statement about the Australian Press Council:

Last year the NMS asked for nominations from members for a MEAA representative to the Press Council. At its December meeting those nominations were considered and Matthew Ricketson was appointed to the role.

Today the NMS has received a report about the complaints received from a number of members about that appointment.

We have carefully considered the complaints and understand the concerns raised.

MEAA opposed the Finkelstein recommendations at the time, and worked to ensure they were not enacted by the Government.

We oppose any Government media regulator. As stated in our submissions to the Convergence Review and many times since, there should be a single independent industry-funded complaints body. This should be on the existing model of the Press Council and take over the complaints function currently performed by ACMA.

As a precondition to his appointment, Matthew Ricketson agreed he would represent that position and all other MEAA policy positions on the Press Council.