PM open to talks on press freedom

PRIME Minister Scott Morrison is open to improvements to press freedom if they are warranted but will act on the issue “calmly and soberly”.

A political debate over freedom of the press has erupted following two police raids on journalists last week.

An ABC raid came off the back of stories published in 2017 alleging Australian soldiers may have carried out unlawful killings in Afghanistan, based on leaked Defence papers.

The other was on the Canberra home of a News Corp Australia reporter over a 2018 story detailing an alleged government proposal to spy on Australians. Mr Morrison said a balance must be found between ensuring no one is above the law and maintaining press freedom.

“If there is suggestion or evidence or any analysis that reveals there is a need for further improvement of those (press freedom) laws, the Government is always open to that,” he said yesterday. “I intend to proceed calmly and soberly and consultatively.”

The Prime Minister was due to chat with ABC chair Ita Buttrose yesterday afternoon, in a meeting he said was scheduled before the raid on the broadcaster’s Sydney headquarters.

Labor Leader Anthony Albanese said the media reports that sparked the Australian Federal Police raids were in the public interest and a free press was vital for democracy.

“My default position is one of protecting civil liberties and to ensure that there’s accountability in our society and if the ABC won’t do it as our national broadcaster, who will?” he told ABC Radio Perth.

Labor frontbencher Penny Wong said any inquiry needed to be “full, frank and transparent” and not a cover for the Government if it didn’t want to move on the issues.

“If we are proposing to look

IF THERE IS … A NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT OF (PRESS FREEDOM) LAWS, THE GOVERNMENT IS ALWAYS OPEN TO THAT SCOTT MORRISON

at this carefully we should do so with goodwill,” she told ABC Radio’s AM.

“We should do this with the willingness to actually ensure that we get it right, and the process of the parliamentary inquiry enables that to occur.”

Ms Buttrose is weighing up what legal avenues the ABC could pursue against the AFP.

She last week complained to Communications Minister Paul Fletcher of the “sweeping nature” of the AFP warrant, which she said was “clearly designed to intimidate”.

A rally in support of the ABC was held yesterday outside Mr Fletcher’s electorate office in Sydney.