The revelation by prominent media figure Ita Buttrose that, as editor-in-chief of the Sunday Telegraph and the Daily Telegraph, owner Rupert Murdoch asked her to have a citizen followed is deeply troubling.

“This highly respected Australian would not release this information lightly. It adds greatly to speculation that the culture of Mr Murdoch’s empire percolates down, not up” said Senator Brown today.

“It is to Ms Buttrose’s enormous credit that she refused to have the person followed or, in her own words, to ‘go beyond what I thought I should do’.”

Senator Brown is having talks with the government to establish a new inquiry into the media in Australia.