3 years ago
NO MORE HIDING MR PORTER – END THE ASSAULT ON MEDIA FREEDOM
MARK DREYFUS QC MP
Attorney-General Christian Porter must immediately rule out the prosecution of ABC journalists Dan Oakes and Sam Clark.
Following the understandable public outrage in the wake of the Australian Federal Police raids on the home of News Corp’s Annika Smethurst’s and the ABC’s headquarters, Mr Porter issued a directive that the prosecution of a journalist needed to be signed off by him.
The case against Ms Smethurst, relating to a story revealing plans to extend the Australian Signals Directorate's spying powers, was formally abandoned in May.
However, for almost a year, Mr Porter has refused to rule out the prosecution of Dan Oakes or Sam Clark because of the ongoing AFP investigation into their reporting of alleged war crimes in Afghanistan.
The decision by the AFP to refer a brief of evidence to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions means that Mr Porter is now out of excuses. He must immediately announce that he will not consent to any prosecution of either Mr Oakes or Mr Clark.
The raids put a spotlight on the Morrison Government’s contempt for scrutiny and any notion of accountability, its contempt for press freedom and its contempt for the public’s right to know.
Those raids came with the personal blessing of the Prime Minister, who shrugged off the extraordinary assault on press freedom by saying ‘it never troubles me that our laws are being upheld’.
While Ms Smethurst is now free of the threat of prosecution, Australian journalists still face the very real threat of criminal charges for just doing their jobs.
The Attorney-General must now bring this sorry saga to an end by immediately announcing that he will not consent to any prosecution of both Sam Clark and Dan Oakes.
Unlike the Morrison Government, Labor believes in freedom of the press and the public’s right to know.
Journalists should never face the prospect of being charged, and even jailed, just for doing their jobs.
Law enforcement agencies should never be raiding journalists just because they are embarrassing the government.
A strong and independent media is vital to holding governments to account and to informing the Australian public. Labor will continue to fight to defend and to strengthen press freedom and the public’s right to know
Following the understandable public outrage in the wake of the Australian Federal Police raids on the home of News Corp’s Annika Smethurst’s and the ABC’s headquarters, Mr Porter issued a directive that the prosecution of a journalist needed to be signed off by him.
The case against Ms Smethurst, relating to a story revealing plans to extend the Australian Signals Directorate's spying powers, was formally abandoned in May.
However, for almost a year, Mr Porter has refused to rule out the prosecution of Dan Oakes or Sam Clark because of the ongoing AFP investigation into their reporting of alleged war crimes in Afghanistan.
The decision by the AFP to refer a brief of evidence to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions means that Mr Porter is now out of excuses. He must immediately announce that he will not consent to any prosecution of either Mr Oakes or Mr Clark.
The raids put a spotlight on the Morrison Government’s contempt for scrutiny and any notion of accountability, its contempt for press freedom and its contempt for the public’s right to know.
Those raids came with the personal blessing of the Prime Minister, who shrugged off the extraordinary assault on press freedom by saying ‘it never troubles me that our laws are being upheld’.
While Ms Smethurst is now free of the threat of prosecution, Australian journalists still face the very real threat of criminal charges for just doing their jobs.
The Attorney-General must now bring this sorry saga to an end by immediately announcing that he will not consent to any prosecution of both Sam Clark and Dan Oakes.
Unlike the Morrison Government, Labor believes in freedom of the press and the public’s right to know.
Journalists should never face the prospect of being charged, and even jailed, just for doing their jobs.
Law enforcement agencies should never be raiding journalists just because they are embarrassing the government.
A strong and independent media is vital to holding governments to account and to informing the Australian public. Labor will continue to fight to defend and to strengthen press freedom and the public’s right to know