News Corp embroiled in Australian bribery allegations
News Corps’s escalating ethical travails have now reached Rupert Murdoch’s home turf of Australia after Australian senator Bill O’Chee went public with allegations that the media group had offered him favourable coverage in return for his vote on a digital TV law.
Australian police are investigating the former senator’s claims after he presented a nine page statement to them – since published by Murdoch’s regional rivals.
It is claimed that an unnamed News Corp executive approached O’Chee over lunch in 1998 to vote against the creation of digital TV in Australia – had it failed News Corp would have profited.
O’Chee ultimately voted for the proposal and claims he has unable to get anything published thereafter – ultimately losing his Senate seat four months later.
Why O'Chee chose to keep silent for eight years isn't clear.