The action Melissa Lee promised to protect democracy and the media sector is missing, Media and Communications spokesperson Willie Jackson said.

“As the crisis in the media sector continues to unfold with the confirmed closure of Newshub, Minister for Media and Communications Melissa Lee is yet to show any sign of a plan forward,” Willie Jackson said.

“She was asked by the Prime Minster 44 days ago to urgently find a solution. Where is it?

“She might not be a magician but she is certainly a Minister and a Minister’s job is to find solutions to problems and take them to Cabinet.

“However she’s failed to do that, and the media themselves have called her attempts a ‘rookie mistake’ – because even when she did attempt to share her thoughts via a Cabinet Committee, the Deputy Prime Minister sent her back to the drawing board.

“It’s not just Melissa Lee who has failed to prioritise the media, the entire Government failed to include it in the 100 day plan, and then failed again to get any mention at all in the second quarter action plan of priorities for the Government.

“They’re like a whole bunch of middle managers, where the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing. It is an utterly hopeless situation and our journalists, editors and presenters deserve more.

“Not only do they have no plan forward, but the Minister herself continues to spout buzz word waffle about what her mysterious plan actually is.

“Melissa Lee needed to front up with a plan weeks ago. She needs to pass the Fair Digital Bargaining Bill now, under urgency. She needs to get everyone in the media sector in a room and find a solution.

“Doing nothing is not an option. It is a choice. And unfortunately we have a Minister who is choosing to do very little,” Willie Jackson said.