Journalist jail threat dropped

JOURNALISTS will not go to jail for receiving classified material after the Federal Government bowed to public pressure to change proposed foreign espionage laws.

Attorney-General Christian Porter has revealed amendments to the Bill, which targets foreign meddling including from Russia and China.

The Government came under severe scrutiny over draconian parts of the proposed laws, which threatened a 15year prison sentence for journalists and editors who were given classified material.

The changes address a number of concerns raised with the Government by media organisations including News Corp, publisher of the Bulletin.

They include narrowing the definitions of causing “harm to Australia’s interests” and strengthening the defence for journalists handling classified documents.

Under the changes, journalists will no longer have to demonstrate their reporting was “fair and accurate”, and they would have a guaranteed defence when they reasonably believe their conduct was in the public interest. The defence would also apply to editorial and support staff as well editors.

But Labor late yesterday indicated they did not support the changes, saying the Government hadn’t gone far enough to project journalists.