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Recent controversial police raids of media premises and journalists, on the grounds of national security, have prompted a united campaign by news media rivals to promote and protect the public’s right to know what governments are doing. According to media outlets represented before a senate press freedom inquiry that is currently underway, Australians are being robbed of their right to know about vital issues that directly affect them by a culture of secrecy in the Australian government, and the use of draconian laws which threaten and intimidate whistleblowers and prosecute journalists as criminals.
There is growing pressure to undertake legal reforms to protect the public’s right to information and to ensure freedom of the press in Australia. Is our healthy, functioning democracy under threat, or is the government simply protecting the security of the nation?
