FREEDOM OF THE PRESS – AUSTRALIA

Media, security balance the goal

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Original article by Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 4 : 10-Jul-19

Foreign Minister Marise Payne will use a speech on 10 July to stress the importance of freedom of speech and freedom of expression. However, she will tell the Global Conference for Media Freedom that the public’s right to know must be balanced against the need to protect Australia’s national interest. Payne’s speech in London comes in the wake of the recent police raids on the Sydney offices of the ABC and the home of a News Corp Australia journalist.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, UNITED NATIONS. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

Media bosses in dark on charges

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 4 : 4-Jul-19

Attorney-General Christian Porter and Communications Minister Paul Fletcher held talks with media industry representatives on 3 July. The meeting failed to ease the media sector’s concerns about Australian Federal Police raids on the ABC’s Sydney office and the home of a News Corp Australia journalist in early June, and whether journalists will face prosecution as a result of the raids. Media executives have also expressed reservations about the government’s plans for the parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security to hold an inquiry into press freedom.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), FREE TV AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY JOINT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CENTRE ALLIANCE

Press freedom probe backed

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Original article by Rosie Lewis, Zoe Samios
The Australian – Page: 2 : 3-Jul-19

The parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security will undertake an inquiry into the impact of police and intelligence agencies’ powers on freedom of the press. The inquiry was approved by federal cabinet on 2 July, and follows the recent police raids on the ABC’s offices and the home of a News Corp Australia journalist. Labor proposes to establish a separate inquiry into press freedom and the public’s right to know, while media companies advocate changes to laws affecting freedom of the press rather than a parliamentary inquiry.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY JOINT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Security laws used to avoid scrutiny, say media bosses

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 27-Jun-19

News Corp Australasia chairman Michael Miller, Nine Entertainment CEO Hugh Marks and ABC MD David Anderson jointly addressed the National Press Club on 26 June. They discussed issues such as the Australian Federal Police’s recent media raids, the impact of national security laws on freedom of the press and the public’s right to know, and the need for an overhaul of defamation laws. Miller suggested that the AFP raids on the ABC’s Sydney office and the home of News Corp journalist Annika Smethurst constituted intimidation rather than investigation.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (AUSTRALIA), AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Media leaders united in fight for public’s right to know

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Original article by Zoe Samios
The Australian – Page: 3 : 26-Jun-19

Freedom of the press and the public’s right to know will be the key thrust of a joint address to the National Press Club by three of Australia’s top media executives on 26 June. The joint appearance of News Corp Australasia chairman Michael Miller, Nine Entertainment Company CEO Hugh Marks and ABC MD David Anderson follows the recent police raids on the offices of the public broadcaster and the home of News Corp journalist Annika Smethurst.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (AUSTRALIA), HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Rivals unite on law reform

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Original article by Leo Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 24 : 24-Jun-19

News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller, ABC MD David Anderson and Nine Entertainment Company CEO Hugh Marks will jointly address the National Press Club on 26 June. They will call for legislative reforms to ensure freedom of the press and the public’s right to know. The joint speech follows the recent police raids on the ABC’s Sydney offices and the home of a News Corp journalist. The ABC is set to launch a legal challenge to the Australian Federal Police raids, while News Corp is still considering its legal options.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (AUSTRALIA), AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE

Media chiefs want urgent action on press freedom

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 2 : 18-Jun-19

Nine Entertainment Company CEO Hugh Marks, News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller and ABC MD David Anderson will jointly address the National Press Club on 26 June. They will discuss the fallout from the Australian Federal Police’s media raids, and press the case for legislative reforms to provide greater protection for journalists and whistleblowers. The federal government is under pressure to hold a parliamentary inquiry into press freedom, but the media industry believes that changes to national security laws should be the priority.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ALLIANCE FOR JOURNALISTS’ FREEDOM

Rethink press inquiry and act, PM urged

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Original article by Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 2 : 13-Jun-19

Communications Minister Paul Fletcher says the federal government has made no decision on a parliamentary inquiry into press freedom in the wake of the Australian Federal Police’s recent media raids. However, some Coalition MPS have expressed concern that the issue may become politicised if there is a parliamentary inquiry. Liberal MP Craig Kelly argues that a special inquiry into the actions of the AFP is not necessary as parliament has oversight of the law enforcement agency.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Media demands legal shake-up, not an inquiry

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Original article by Rosie Lewis, Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 12-Jun-19

Prime Minister Scott Morrison held talks with the ABC’s MD David Anderson and chair Ita Buttrose on 11 June, in the wake of a controversial police raid on the public broadcaster’s Sydney offices. Morrison has signalled that the federal government is open to holding a parliamentary inquiry into press ­freedom. However, News Corp Australia executive Campbell Reid argues that an inquiry is not necessary; instead, he says that legislation governing freedom of the press should be reviewed by a working group comprising politicians, legal experts and media representatives.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, LAW COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, CENTRE ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE

Coalition to move on press freedom

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Original article by Olivia Caisley, Richard Ferguson
The Australian – Page: 2 : 11-Jun-19

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has advised that the federal government will shortly issue a public response to the Australian Federal Police’s recent media industry raids. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has indicated that she would support a parliamentary inquiry into freedom of the press, although she adds that journalists tend to be biased and there should be some restrictions on press freedom. A spokesman for shadow home affairs minister Kristina Keneally says Labor is still considering whether to support an inquiry.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, CENTRE ALLIANCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AL JAZEERA, NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION