worm inquiry...

...in the senate by the Greens.

Worm Inquiry: Greens
22/10/07
The Greens will pursue a senate inquiry into efforts by the Prime Minister's minders to halt national coverage of leaders' debate last night because of the worm being used by Channel Nine.

"The cutting of the direct feed of the debate to Channel Nine is not acceptable. This is Australia, not Burma," Greens Leader Bob Brown said in Canberra today.

"The Prime Minister's dictate that the worm be banned and the ruthless follow-up attempt to cut Channel Nine's transmission is unprecedented in Australian democratic tradition. A post-election senate inquiry to find out how the Prime Minister's office pressured the National Press Club and or ABC, and to come up with a format to prevent a recurrence of such influence by an incumbent Prime Minister is essential," Senator Brown said.

"At the Greens' People's Forum in the Parliament House Theatrette last night, a full house used the worm technology with no interference. Unlike the controlled Great Hall event, the audience participated: after journalists' question sessions, the audience questioned the Greens Senators and further questions were taken from internet participants. Then the audience 'wormed' the Howard-Rudd debate with Rudd a huge winner. But by the conclusion, the Greens' support from the audience had risen from 69% to 80%."