Ita goes into bat with Morrison on press freedom

ABC bosses emerged from meeting Prime Minister Scott Morrison yesterday vowing to keep working on press freedom.

“He’s taken on board my comments and we’re looking forward to working together and going ahead,” ABC chairwoman Ita Buttrose, left, said. ABC managing director David Anderson said: “We look forward to continuing the conversation and we’re going to work with other media organisations as well.”

Ms Buttrose had earlier said the Australian Federal Police raids on the ABC offices and the home of Sunday Tasmanian political editor Annika Smethurst last week were designed to intimidate.

Communications Minister Paul Fletcher yesterday conceded that “press freedom is a bedrock principle in a democracy”.