(MEAA/IFEX) – The following is a 24 March 2005 MEAA media release: Australian security laws muzzle media, says journalists’ union The Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (the Alliance), the organisation representing over 10,000 journalists Australia-wide, says that the counter-terrorism legislation being reviewed by the Government effectively muzzles the media’s scrutiny of Australia’s top security organisation. […]
(MEAA/IFEX) – The following is a 24 March 2005 MEAA media release:
Australian security laws muzzle media, says journalists’ union
The Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (the Alliance), the organisation representing over 10,000 journalists Australia-wide, says that the counter-terrorism legislation being reviewed by the Government effectively muzzles the media’s scrutiny of Australia’s top security organisation.
Amendments were made in 2003 to Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation Act 1979, which allow for five-year jail terms for terrorist suspects disclosing information to the media, and possibly five years in jail for any journalist who reports it.
“These changes are the worst attempts by the Howard Government to exploit the risk of terrorism to justify undemocratic media restrictions,” said Alliance federal secretary, Christopher Warren.
“This is a fundamental and unacceptable erosion of press freedom in Australia,” said Warren.
The Alliance has made a submission to the Parliamentary Joint Inquiry on ASIO, ASIS & DSD, which is reviewing the amendments. The review is due to be finalised by 22 January 2006.
The Alliance’s submission, focusing on the draconian ASIO laws which threaten journalists with jail terms for disclosing information relating to ASIO operations, called on the Committee to make ASIO more transparent and abolish possible jail terms for journalists reporting activities.
“To inoculate ASIO from any public scrutiny about their activities – and to have the potential to jail journalists who attempt to shed light on ASIO’s activities – is fundamentally undemocratic,” says the Alliance in its submission to the Inquiry.
“It is simply unacceptable for any journalist to be imprisoned for publishing something in the public interest – especially in Australia where the right to inform and be informed is a cornerstone of our democracy,” said Warren.
The Alliance’s full submission to the Inquiry can be found at http://www.alliance.org.au
For more information The Media Alliance represents more than 10,000 journalists across Australia.
