Abbott rival pushing media reform to boost profile

Sydney

EFFORTS in Australia to drive forward new laws scrapping media ownership limits have more to do with a rival trying to put Prime Minister Tony Abbott in a bad light than a genuine push for change.

Analysts and industry executives say the law has no hope of being approved because Mr Abbott, following a tumultuous 19 months in office, will be reluctant to adopt a measure that could upset media magnate Rupert Murdoch, who is a big critic.

Instead, they say, Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull, widely seen a…