But it seems the Speaker of the House wants to put a fetter on the press and its activities in the House of Representatives. For the first time in the 25 years Channel 7 has been covering house meetings, the press workers who will attend house meetings are now being required to have state issued ID's to get into the House.
This is in a setting where party supporters - who disrupt the house require no ID at all - while the media workers who do not disrupt and only work during meetings - must now have ID's? Something's wrong there!
We note that the media works in a completely unsuitable space, while being forced to sitting on the stairs, and the edge of a platform.
Channel 7 Jules Vasquez, who has had to fight to stay in the house before, and has been covering house meetings for over two decades says it's a ridiculous requirement, and he will not present any ID.
We acknowledge that the standing orders do provide that the speaker can invite members of the press into the house - but this media house maintains that it is a right and a duty which cannot be fettered with a state provided ID. Let's see how it goes on Friday when the budget is presented.
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