Press freedom : Senate Standing Committees on Environment and Communicatons / Dr Rebecca Ananian-Welsh.

Brisbane : The University of Queensland, Australia, 2019.

199956

Human rights Australia.

Mass media Law and legislation Australia.

Freedom of the press -- Australia.

Civil rights -- Australia.

Introduction

Summary and recommendations

Terms of reference

Contributing authors

Endnotes.

The importance of a free press cannot be overstated. However, it has often been overlooked in the development and expansion of Australian security laws. As the United Nations Human Rights Committee recognised in respect of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. - Extract from summary.

Recommendations outlined in this document are: 1. Amend the General Secrecy Offence to protect press freedom; 2. Provide exemptions from prosecution to protect press freedom; 3. Clarify when a foreign media organisation will qualify as a foreign principal; 4. Require that media warrants be issued by a judge in contested proceedings; 5. Consider extending a form of privilege to journalistic materials; 6. Extend whistleblower protection to intelligence officers and operations; 7. Review public sector culture and practices with respect to media inquiries; 8. Amend and clarify legal definitions of national security; 9. Introduce a Media Freedom Act.

Includes bibliographical references.

1 online resource (26 pages) : digital, PDF