2019-09-30
Greens Spokesperson for Media Senator Sarah Hanson-Young responded to the Federal Attorney-General’s directive to the Commonwealth DPP that journalists not be charged without his approval:
“Journalists should not be charged for doing their jobs full stop.
“They should not have their homes raided. They should not be intimidated or threatened. They should not be attacked by the government for reporting what is in the public interest.
“Freedom of the press and protection for whistleblowers should not be at the whim of the government of the day.
“The Attorney-General should announce today that the three ABC and News Corp journalists will not be charged.
“What we need is legislated safeguards to guarantee the freedom of the press and whistleblower protections. These protections must be independent of the government.
“The Senate Inquiry into Press Freedoms will take a close look at this so-called directive. It’s clear the Government’s Inquiry, where it investigates its own attack on the freedom of the press, is going nowhere.”
The Senate Inquiry is chaired by Senator Hanson-Young and will hold its first hearing on October 18.