Why we need a Media Freedom Act The ABC has made the decision not to appeal the Federal Court ruling that the AFP’s warrant to conduct a raid of the ABC’s Ultimo offices was valid. It has decided it can’t litigate its way to reforming fundamentally bad laws. This further stresses the need for a Media Freedom Act. “The principle…
The Federal Court recently ruled that the AFP raids on ABC offices in Ultimo were valid. The ABC have today announced they will not lodge an appeal. This decision is unsurprising, and comes as a result of the current legislative landscape. Once again, another sign we need a Media Freedom Act. ABC’s Managing Director, David Anderson, said “This outcome demonstrates…
A free press is not about special treatment for the media, but ensuring our governments are held to account, writes Professor Peter Greste. The ABC’s failed court bid is yet another blow — and we should all be worried. On Monday, the Federal Court issued a judgment that I suspect will come to be seen as a pivotal moment…
Media Release: Federal Court judgement confirms the need for a Media Freedom Act In a major blow to press freedom in Australia, the Federal Court has ruled that the search warrants the Australian Federal Police used to raid the ABC last year were valid. The AJF believes the case underscores the urgent need for a Media Freedom Act, to…
Philip Jacobsen, 30, is an award winning young journalist who has been critical of environmental degradation and reported on alleged corruption in Indonesia. Jacobsen’s passport was confiscated in December in Palangkaraya, and on January 21 he was detained under the suspicion of committing a visa violation against the 2011 immigration law. This means he could face a sentence of up…
21 October 2019 AJF Media Release: We Need a Meeting of Minds The AJF welcomes the Australia’s Right to Know Coalition (ARTK) campaign for media freedom, which calls on the government to immediately address the lack of transparency damaging our democracy. We support all its campaign aims. This is a critical moment for both the media, the security services, and…
The AJF sent the following letter to Chief Executive Carrie Lam, joining the IFJ’s call for the Hong Kong government to ensure press freedom is protected. 9th September 2019 Dear Chief Executive Lam I write as a founding director and spokesman of the Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom (AJF), an advocacy group dedicated to defending press freedom across the Asia–Pacific region,…
An open letter from MEAA supported by us was published in all major papers on Friday 13 June. The letter urges parliament to make the necessary legislative changes to protect journalists and whistleblowers in their everyday work. We have detailed those much needed changes in our White Paper. Read the letter here. Photo credit: MEAA