The federal opposition has dismissed as a political stunt an independent inquiry into Australia's print and online media.
The government has appointed former federal court judge Ray Finkelstein to conduct the inquiry.
Opposition communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull said the inquiry underlined how the government had been held to ransom by the Australian Greens.
"(The inquiry will be held) for no reason other than (Greens leader) Bob Brown demanded it," he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.
Mr Turnbull said the government's convergence review could have included the inquiry's terms of reference. "This inquiry is a waste of money. It is a waste of resources," he said.
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"This is just a political stunt by a government that is bitter about being criticised by the media, in particular by News Limited."
Australians should be suspicious of more regulation of the media, he said.
"You cannot have a democracy, even a democracy as lively as Australia, without a free media," Mr Turnbull said, adding it was just as important as parliament.
