Lachlan Murdoch yesterday said he saw no reason for his joint bid with James Packer for Consolidated Media Holdings to be blocked as Australian regulators said they would scrutinise the A$3.31bn (US$2.9bn) deal.

Graeme Samuel, chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, said he would examine the deal in the light of Mr Murdoch's connections with News Corp, chaired by Rupert Murdoch, his father.