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The Australian Greens will introduce draft laws for a public interest test governing media ownership to keep editorial control out of the hands of people like mining magnate Gina Rinehart.

Party leader Christine Milne said she wanted Australians to benefit from a flourishing, independent, diverse media landscape.

The consolidation of media power in the hands of individuals was a clear threat to free speech and democracy, she said.

The Greens will introduce a private member's bill to the Senate later in the week that aims to implement a public interest test for changes in control of major media companies.

Greens communications spokesman Scott Ludlam said the bill would contain a combination of proposals from the Convergence Review and earlier work by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on applying a public interest test.

'Gina has triggered this debate,' he told reporters on in Canberra on Monday, adding the billionaire's bid for seats on the Fairfax media board had demonstrated to the whole country the urgency of 'these sorts of reforms'.

'She's intending to use a media platform as a political weapon to advance her other commercial interests.'

The bill will apply to broadcasters and newspapers with an Australian audience of at least 500,000 per month and with a revenue of at least $50 million per year.

The matters to be taken into account in applying the public interest test include the impact on editorial independence and free expression of opinion along with the likely impact on the fair and accurate presentation of news.

Original post:
Greens for public interest test on media