In June police raided Australia's national broadcaster and arrested a prominent journalist, Annika Smethurst, after government allegations of ‘publishing classified material’. At the time ABC stated, ‘An untrammelled media is important to public discourse and democracy’. Recently Australia’s biggest news outlets, normally fierce rivals, united in support of press freedom with a campaign including blacked-out newspaper front pages and slots on prime time broadcasts. The media are highlighting the constraints on them under strict national security legislation. The news outlets joined forces through a coalition known as the 'Right to Know’, in a joint action designed to agitate readers into action. One newspaper asked, ‘When government keeps the truth from you, what are they covering up?’ Annika Smethurst now faces possible criminal charges, ironically because she reported that the government was considering new powers to spy on all of us.
Australia: freedom of the press
Written by David Fletcher 25 Oct 2019Additional Info
- Pray: for the people to stand with the media and achieve practical press freedom allowing for the genuine needs of national security. (James 1:25)
- More: edition.cnn.com/2019/10/21/media/australian-newspapers-media-blackout-australia/index.html