On 1st June 1995, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Gareth Evans announced that the government would strengthen and expand the Commonwealth Crimes Act of Australia in order to condemn journalists who publish sensitive information on national security, defence or intelligence activities. This followed allegations made by former agents of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) on […]
On 1st June 1995, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Gareth
Evans announced that the government would strengthen and expand
the Commonwealth Crimes Act of Australia in order to condemn
journalists who publish sensitive information on national
security, defence or intelligence activities. This followed
allegations made by former agents of the Australian Secret
Intelligence Service (ASIS) on ABC-TV (Australian Broadcasting
Corporation) in 1994 and recent media reports revealing that
Australia wire-tapped the Chinese Embassy in Canberra. In his
statement, the Foreign Affairs Minister proposed that new rules
of cooperation between the media and government were now
required, due to the end of a Cold War era self-censorship
agreement between the two. Under that arrangement, known as the
D-Notice System, the media were expected to voluntarily withhold
sensitive information on defence and national security matters.
If the expected legal measures are adopted, journalists charged
would be tried in secret, and could face criminal prosecution and
prison terms of up to seven years for having disclosed “sensitive
national security information.” The defence of journalists or
“leakers” against legal action would only be considered valid if
they had disclosed intelligence activities that were illegal
under Australian law. The government will be required to prove
damage or likely damage to the “national interest” in all cases.
According to RSF, Minister Gareth Evans announced plans to
develop draft legislation for consideration by the legislature.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the Australian Prime Minister:
covering defence and intelligence activities is a serious attack
on freedom of the press
legislation on the matter
Appeals To
The Right Honourable Paul Keating
Prime Minister
Department of the Prime Minister
Edmund Barton Building
Macquarie Street
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
Fax: +61 62 715 414
Please copy appeals to the originator if possible.
