Media heads push press freedom
Media bosses have met to discuss press freedom laws with the Morrison government in Canberra.
Leaders of Australia’s major media outlets pushed for a right to contest search warrants, after concerns raised by AFP raids at News Corp and the ABC earlier this year.
The media coalition has been running an “Australia's Right To Know” campaign for the last few weeks, which calls for freedom of information reform, whistleblower protections and public interest exemptions from national security laws.
The executives said they were “encouraged” after meeting with Attorney-General Christian Porter and Communications Minister Paul Fletcher.
News Corp Australasia chairman Michael Miller says he believes the will adopt some of the industry’s recommendations.
“We've had a more constructive meeting. It's good to hear the government is open to some changes,” he said.
“We're waiting for the security committee report in two weeks time, I think they're open to all those recommendations that will come out of that report.
“It was encouraging today we got into some of the areas we wanted to in terms of particular law changes.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison appears open to reform, calling a parliamentary inquiry to examine the impact of national security laws on press freedom.
The results of the inquiry should be handed to the government in two weeks.
Nine Entertainment CEO Hugh Marks said the media is “united” in its bid to keep the government transparent.
“If there is a creeping inability for journalists to perform their role well then ultimately that has an impact on the quality of the publications that you're responsible for doing and also the information that the audience has to make their decisions about political matters,” he said.