The Australian Communications and Media Authority should urgently conduct an inquiry into events surrounding the censorship of the Nine Network’s coverage of the leaders’ debate on Sunday night, the federal secretary of the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance said.

“It is vital that people have a fair chance to build an informed opinion of they way both leaders react under pressure. Since 1984, this has been achieved through the leaders’ debates, although each time the incumbent Prime Minister – from whichever side of politics – has sought to manipulate the result by playing with the format to suit himself.

“We fully agree with Nine’s head of news and current affairs, John Westacott, when he called this a ‘blatant act of political censorship,” Warren said.

“And now it appears that while the Department of Parliamentary Services is owning up to actually pulling the feed, no one appears to know who gave the order, or why.”

The Alliance believes that the air needs to be cleared before the proposed debate between the Federal Treasurer, Peter Costello and his opposite number Wayne Swan.

“It is a matter of urgency that the Australian people are kept informed about this interference in the way the media are reporting this election. While a free and unfettered press is vital for democracy at all times, this is especially critical during an election campaign,” Warren said.

The Alliance has also called for the establishment of an independent panel to decide on the ground rules for election debates. At present the rules are set by the Prime Minister, which gives the incumbent a distinct advantage.

“To have only one debate, to a format of the incumbent Prime Minister’s choice, one week into a six-week campaign, a debate which just about everyone agrees will have been forgotten by the time the Australian people goes to the polls, is fairly contemptuous,” Warren said.

“This does an enormous disservice to voters. We call upon both sides of politics to do the decent thing by the Australian public and put aside partisan concerns on what is a key issue critical to the continuing health of democracy in this country.”