AAP
The Gillard government is edging closer to a deal with crossbenchers on media law changes, with the opposition's stance on Craig Thomson throwing Labor a lifeline.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Communications Minister Stephen Conroy are in talks to persuade independents Tony Windsor, Bob Katter and Peter Slipper and the Greens Adam Bandt to back the remaining media bills, after two went through the lower house on Tuesday night.
The other independents Rob Oakeshott and Craig Thomson, who is facing court charges over the misuse of union funds, say they will oppose the bills.
But the opposition has vowed to negate Mr Thomson's "tainted" vote in parliament, meaning Labor will only need four extra votes to get its bills over through.
The Greens are expected to support the package, with some amendments, in the lower house and the Senate.
Mr Slipper, who believes his privacy has been breached by the media, told the Sunshine Coast Daily on Wednesday he supported the legislation as a "step in the right direction, but a small step".
"In a democracy freedom of the press is important, but there is such a thing as freedom of the citizen and one needs to strike a balance," Mr Slipper said.
Mr Windsor says no deal has been reached, but progress was being made.
He said Mr Katter's proposal for a panel, instead of an individual, to constitute the public interest media advocate had "some legs".
"I'd say there's probably a 70 per cent chance of success, that means there's a 30 per cent chance of failure," Mr Windsor told ABC Radio on Wednesday.
The advocate would oversee press council standards as well as adjudicate on media mergers and acquisitions.
The sitting hours of both houses are likely to be extended to pass the bills this week - the final sitting before the May 14 budget.
The House of Representatives will resume debate on the bills on Wednesday morning.
Mr Wilkie said he could not support the bills as they stood, and described the process to date as "shoddy".
He said he had met "at some length" with Ms Gillard and raised the issue of greater rights for people who had been subject to false or scandalous reporting in the media.
"I remain to be convinced that the four remaining bills are salvageable," he said.
Australian Greens leader Christine Milne said Mr Wilkie should make a decision.
"I call on Andrew Wilkie to stop sitting on the fence and to get on the right side of this debate and support the media reform, and not to be bullied by the media moguls," she told reporters.
Opposition communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull said there were many "mad ideas swirling around".
"We don't care if the public interest media advocate ... is appointed by the college of cardinals," he told reporters.
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