Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 20 NOVEMBER 2015

Is David Gordon right? Are the media control rules in Australia redundant?

Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Contributor
Corrs Chambers Westgarth

Corrs Chambers Westgarth

Corrs Chambers Westgarth is Australia’s leading independent law firm. We provide exceptional legal...

View firm profile
Explore more from Corrs Chambers Westgarth

David Gordon, Chairman of Ten Network Holdings has called for the removal of Australia's media ownership restrictions.

AustraliaMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment
Thomas Jones (Formerly With Corrs Chambers Westgarth)
Thomas Jones (Formerly With Corrs Chambers Westgarth)
Jennifer Dean
Jennifer Dean
Author LinkedIn connections

The rhetoric on reform of Australia's media ownership restrictions (Control Rules)1 is hotting up, with David Gordon, the Chairman of Ten Network Holdings calling for their wholesale removal and the Communications Minister, Mitch Fifield, referring to them as "horse-and-buggy legislation in the 21st century".

The last twelve months in particular have seen significant changes to the structure of the industry with subscription video on demand (SVOD) services such as Netflix and Stan flourishing and both Seven and Nine announcing they will start live streaming their content online.

Amidst all this change, the silence of the Control Rules on internet-based services and subscription television is becoming deafening.

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

View source

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

See more popular content from

Podcast

Cross Examining Cyber EP29: Cross Examining Andrew Penn And Vikram Sharma (Podcast)

Andrew Penn, former CEO of Telstra and current Chairman at Sharon AI, and Vikram Sharma, founder of QuintessenceLabs and winner of the 2025 Prime Minister's Prize for Innovation, discuss the transformative potential of quantum computing and its implications for cyber security. They explore why organisations must begin preparing now for quantum threats to encryption, the convergence of quantum technology with artificial intelligence, and the practical steps boards and business leaders should take to build qu
AustraliaMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP
Article

Victoria’s New Data Centre Rules – Implications For Developers And Operators

Victoria's new Sustainable Data Centre Action Plan introduces comprehensive planning, renewable energy, and community benefit requirements for data centre developments. The regulations establish location restrictions, noise limits, renewable energy mandates, and water supply requirements while creating new referral authorities to oversee compliance. These changes will significantly impact how developers and operators plan and execute data centre projects in Victoria's rapidly expanding market.
AustraliaMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment
Holding Redlich
Holding Redlich
Article

Five Decisions That Will Define Australia’s AI Future

Prime Minister Albanese's speech on 15 July 2026 marked a decisive shift in Australia's approach to artificial intelligence, from voluntary guidance to mandatory national regulation. The announcement establishes Australian Standards for AI, copyright licensing requirements, a national planning framework for data centres, energy obligations, and workplace protections—all underpinned by the concept of sovereign AI.
AustraliaMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Article

Transparency In Automated Decision-Making: What The OAIC Guidance Means For Your Business

Australia's privacy regulator has issued final guidance on new transparency obligations for automated decision-making systems. From December 2026, organisations using computer programs—including AI, algorithms, and everyday software—to make or inform significant decisions about individuals must disclose these practices in their privacy policies. The guidance reveals a broader compliance burden than many expect, particularly for businesses using automated tools across recruitment, pricing, credit
AustraliaPrivacy
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Article

EPBC Act Reforms: Consultation On Proposed Regulations To Support Final Tranche Of Reforms

Australia's Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water has released consultation papers outlining the regulatory framework for the final phase of environmental protection reforms under the EPBC Act. With submissions closing on 13 October 2026 and implementation scheduled for 1 December 2026, these reforms will fundamentally reshape how projects are assessed and approved, introducing streamlined pathways...
AustraliaEnvironment
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Article

Australia’s Privacy Act Reforms: Fundamental Changes Proposed In New Exposure Draft

Australia's Privacy Act reform has reached a critical milestone with the release of exposure draft legislation proposing fundamental changes to how organisations handle personal information. The reforms introduce a new 'fair and reasonable' test for data collection and use, a right of erasure for large digital platforms, strengthened consent standards, a statutory controller/processor framework, restrictions on trading personal data, and enhanced data breach obligations. These changes come at a time when em
AustraliaPrivacy
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Podcast

Corrs High Vis: Episode 62 - Power, Planning & Data Centres - Inside NSW’s New Guidelines (Podcast)

The NSW Government has released a comprehensive data centre policy framework establishing new guidelines for electricity network connections, planning approvals, and environmental standards. These reforms require data centres to contribute to network infrastructure costs, procure renewable energy, and demonstrate demand flexibility while offering streamlined approval pathways for compliant projects.
AustraliaEnvironment
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Article

Cross-border software payments and royalties: implications of final taxation ruling and practical compliance guideline Read More

The Australian Taxation Office has issued its final ruling on cross-border software payments, dramatically expanding what constitutes a royalty subject to withholding tax. With retroactive application to July 2021 and a broad interpretation of copyright law, multinational companies face significant compliance risks and potential exposure across software distribution, cloud services, and digital intermediation arrangements.
AustraliaTax
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Article

APRA and ASIC's coordinated approach to frontier AI: implications for financial services entities Read More

APRA and ASIC have issued coordinated guidance on frontier AI risks, requiring financial services boards to demonstrate direct oversight of AI governance, cyber resilience and third-party dependencies. The regulators' expectations build on existing prudential standards and directors' duties, with enforcement signals indicating that proportionate action must be taken before incidents occur.
AustraliaStrategy
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Corrs Chambers Westgarth