Australia’s media sector will have to wait until 2020 to hear the government’s response to the ACCC’s Digital Platforms Inquiry.
The Australian is reporting the Morrison government is yet to even consider its final response to the 23 recommendations issued in the report.
The reports suggest that with just one parliamentary sitting week left for 2019, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, Communications Minister Paul Fletcher and Attorney-General Christian Porter are gearing up to delay the response until the new year.
After the ACCC delivered the final report in July, Frydenberg said the government’s response – which has been billed as a new media regulatory framework – would be ready by year’s end.
It had previously been rumoured the response would be handed down this week.
But following a 12-week consultation period with relevant stakeholders, including Google, Facebook and media companies, it appears the turnaround was too tight for the government.
The consultation period finished in late October.
Shadow communications minister Michelle Rowland was quick to jump on news of the government’s delay.
After six years in Government and six months mulling over the ACCC’s report, the Liberals still don’t know what to do. #auspol https://t.co/jrHR5pZlvc
— Michelle Rowland (@MRowlandMP) December 2, 2019
