Media Release
26 June 2007

Commonwealth Press Union: Camera Coverage of the House

Continued restrictions on still photography in Parliament cannot be justified, according to the Commonwealth Press Union's Media Freedom Committee.

Chairman Tim Pankhurst, editor of The Dominion Post, welcomed the expansion of television coverage but said the rules should be evenly applied.

Submissions to the Speaker and to the Standing Orders Committee had been ignored, he said.

"One of the reasons given - to minimise the prospect of disturbance by photographers moving around the public gallery - is ludicrous.

"At the same time Members below in the House are often hugely disruptive, shouting at each other and even giving the fingers on occasions.

"We'll issue our photographers with slippers and have them sit in one place if that would help.

"There is nothing to stop us taking screen grabs from the televised coverage and that is what newspapers will likely do.

"If MPs, who are our employees, are so concerned about their image, they should behave better.

"Stopping still photographers taking pictures of anything other than the person speaking is a restriction on the media's role and does not reflect well on the self-interested politicians who made this misguided decision, which we will continue to oppose."

ENDS

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