Calls for reform to protect media freedom
The Australia’s Right To Know media industry advocacy group, which includes the CBAA, has made a submission regarding the impact of the exercise of law enforcement and intelligence powers on the freedom of the press.
The submission made to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security's inquiry, outlines the need to uphold the public's right to know. It highlighted the need for law reform in a number of areas and increased transparency.
The submission called for law reform in several key areas:
- The right to contest the application for warrants for journalists and media organisations;
- Public sector whistleblowers must be adequately protected – the current law needs to change;
- A new regime that limits which documents can be stamped "secret";
- A properly functioning freedom of information (FOI) regime;
- Exemptions for journalists from laws that would put them in jail for doing their jobs, including security laws enacted over the last seven years; and
- Defamation law reform.
Read more about these recommendations, or read the full submission.
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