Print
    28 April 2012| last updated at 02:39PM

    Murdoch calls for Australian elections



    0 comments

    SYDNEY: Australian-born media tycoon Rupert Murdoch on Saturday said there was a “desperate” need for elections in his home country following a sexual harassment scandal that rocked parliament this week.

    News Corp. chairman Murdoch, who this week admitted a cover-up over phone  hacking at his now-defunct British tabloid News of the World but downplayed his  political influence at a London inquiry, said Australia needed change.

    “Dramatic, slimy events in Australian politics,” Murdoch, 81, wrote on  microblogging site Twitter.

    “Country desperately needs election to get fresh start.”    Australia’s parliament was this week hit by sexual harassment allegations  against the speaker, Peter Slipper, who was elevated to the top lower house job  by the ruling Labor party in a bid to shore up its fragile hold on power.

    Slipper, married and an ordained Anglican priest, stood aside from his role  on Sunday after allegations he harassed former aide James Ashby, 33, with  explicit text messages, unwanted advances and inappropriate comments.

    Labor failed to win an overall majority in the 2010 elections and, with the  loss of Slipper, has a voting majority of just one seat.

    The next elections are not due until 2013.

    Murdoch is the dominant player in Australia’s media market, with vast  holdings including 70 percent of the nation’s newspapers, and Labor ministers  have accused his titles of openly campaigning against the government. - AFP

    Leave Your Comment


    Leave Your Comment:

    New Straits Times reserves the right not to publish offensive or abusive comments and those of hate speech, harassment, commercial promos and invasion of privacy. Your IP will be logged and may be used to prevent further submission.The views expressed here are that of the members of the public and unless specifically stated are not those of NST.