Australia

Integrity watchdogs need better protection for journalists: media industry

Australian television stations and publishers have called on the federal government to consider strengthening some of the National Anti-Corruption Commission’s bills to allow journalists to protect sources and report proceedings. I’m here.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) joint selection committee received a submission from Australia’s Right to Know Coalition on Friday. The coalition welcomes the bill, but wants stronger powers to protect journalists from search warrants and measures to ensure journalists’ sources aren’t compromised. clearly.

A media source familiar with the document, who spoke on condition of anonymity because it was not a public submission, raises concerns that journalists are being inadvertently investigated in too many ways. He declined to comment publicly.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in 2019. I have an edited front page copy of a newspaper that supports the “Right to Know” campaign.credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The new integrity watchdog is expected to receive $262 million over four years to crack down on corruption and is expected to begin operations in the middle of next year. Supporters of stricter integrity laws, including Greens, independent lawmakers and former judges, support Labor’s proposal for most reasons, but give the committee more room to hold public hearings. We are asking the government to change the draft to give

In a filing, the Australian Right to Know Coalition said it was concerned about the conflict between Article 31, which is specific to protecting journalist informants, and other provisions of the NACC Bill, such as the Criminal Code.

Section 31 of the NACC bill states that journalists and employers are not required to do anything under the law to disclose the identity of informants. However, the protection applies only to journalists and not to other producers or editors assisting publications whose information may otherwise be sought.

Under section 31, nothing prevents an authorized police officer from doing what he could do under criminal law, such as executing a search warrant. Media companies are concerned that while the newly proposed law helps protect information sources, other laws may make the protection less effective.

There are also concerns that the Section only protects identities and not other information and does not protect most informants. requesting the government.

The Right to Know Coalition was launched in May 2007 by major Australian media companies and public broadcasters and includes the masthead owners Nine Entertainment Co, Guardian Australia, News Corp Australia and The West Australian. will be

Integrity watchdogs need better protection for journalists: media industry

Source link Integrity watchdogs need better protection for journalists: media industry

Back to top button