A JOURNALIST has told Greens Leader Bob Brown to be careful using his telephone, the senator revealed today as he called for an inquiry into Australian media.

Senator Brown declined to elaborate but said the hacking which brought down Britain's News of the World newspaper might not be illegal in Australia.



"I've had a journalist put that to me because they were more technologically savvy than me," he told Canberra reporters of the friendly warning.



"And then I find out that the law may have a loophole in it that allows the hacking. That's a matter of some legal debate at the moment but let's clear the air on it."



The Greens Leader said he would be writing to party leaders and MPs urging them to support an inquiry into Australian media when Parliament returns in August.



It would be called in the wake of the British phone hacking scandal which has seen the closure of the biggest selling Sunday newspaper, News of the World and the collapse of plans by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation to buy a subscription TV network, BSkyB.

News Corp is the parent company of News Limited, publisher of news.com.au.

News Limited chairman and chief executive John Hartigan called on Senator Brown to clarify what he believed warranted investigation.



“One of his suggestions is that media assets should be Australian owned,” Mr Hartigan said.



“Does the Senator mean companies like Google, Yahoo, Facebook or Twitter should not operate in Australia or that Channel 9 and Channel 7 should get rid of their foreign shareholders?”



Mr Hartigan said it was “disturbing” that the Greens leader was seeking an inquiry into editorial content including analysis and opinion.



“We would welcome further clarity from Senator Brown,” Mr Hartigan said.



“News Limited will co-operate with any inquiry into media in Australia.”



Senator Brown said a fair question to be asked was whether television cameras should be placed in the boardroom of News Limited. This would be part of "a big adjustment to be made here between what's in the public interest and where privacy should be maintained".



"And that's why I think an inquiry at this time would be a very healthy thing for all of us," he said.



Senator Brown said he was pleased Prime Minister Julia Gillard had today said she had an open mind on the matter.



The Prime Minister today said she had been "truly disgusted" by the reports from London and wasn't surprised that the role of the media was being discussed in Australia.



"I'm also not surprised to see that in Parliament, or amongst parliamentarians, a conversation is starting about a need for a review," she told the National Press Club.



"And I will be happy to sit down with parliamentarians and discuss that review that people are obviously contemplating."



Senator Brown said he wanted a "watchdog" on journalists, just as he wanted an independent commission against corruption to keep an eye on federal politicians.



"If it's good enough for politicians it's good enough for journalists as well," he said.



"Having said that, it is extraordinarily important that we defend the right, the freedom for the flow information and investigation by the Fourth Estate. It's critical to a functioning and healthy democracy."



Senator Brown said media ownership was an issue to be examined and pointed to the dominance of News Ltd newspapers, particularly in capital cities such as Brisbane where there is no competition.



"It troubles me that the concentration of News in Australia wouldn't be allowed in the United States," he said.



Senator Brown has described some News Limited outlets as "hate media".