New: March Intermedia now available  – see more

NEWS

Australia: Press freedom anomalies

22.04.2020
Share this

Sunday Telegraph journalist Annika Smethurst wrote an article on plans to expand the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) that was printed in 2018. More than a year later Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers raided her home.

Nearly two years later, Australia’s High Court judges found unanimously that the AFP search warrant was invalid because it was not sufficiently precise in stating the offence to which it related.
The High Court ordered the AFP to pay the court costs of Ms Smethurst and her employer News Corp.

AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw said that further measures have been put in place since to ensure warrants were properly drafted.

The ruling does not, however, ensure that the data seized be destroyed or handed back. Journalists’ union the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) issued a statement noting, “The result was also mixed, with a majority of High Court justices dismissing a request that seized materials be destroyed.” Smethhurst, the journalist at the centre of the storm, has said she is “disappointed” with this part of the decision.

News Corp executive chairman Michael Miller said, “The Federal Government must allow media organisations to contest warrants against journalists to avoid debacles like this one occurring again.”

See ABC media report here.

Press freedom anomalies – High Court rules journalist’s home raid invalid, but police can keep materials seized

Theme:
Content: innovation, regulation and markets
Region:
Asia Pacific
Chapter:
Australia
Series:
Regulatory Watch
You may also like... News
march 2023 regulatory news round-up
Round-up of the latest industry news – March 2023 29.03.2023
News
IIC and COMTELCA sign Memorandum of Understanding 17.03.2023
News
february IIC industry roundup
Round-up of the latest industry news – February 2023 28.02.2023

Latest

Blog
roundup latest industry news may
Round-up of the latest industry news – May 2023 27.05.2023
Publication
Brussels Telecommunications and Media Forum 2023 Report 16.05.2023
Publication
IIC Italy Chapter Event – Telecommunications in the Digital Transformation / Market and Regulatory Challenges, March 2023 Report 16.05.2023
Publication
Asia TMF February 2023 Report 16.05.2023
View All
Back to the top

The IIC is the world's only policy debating platform for the converged communications industry

We give innovators and regulators a forum in which to explore, debate and agree the best policies and regulatory frameworks for widest societal benefit.

Insight: Exchange: Influence

We give members a voice through conferences, symposiums and private meetings, as well as broad exposure of their differing viewpoints through articles, reports and interviews.

The new website will make it easier for you to gather fresh insights, exchange views with others and have a voice in the debate

Take a look Learn more about our updates
Please upgrade your browser

You are seeing this because you are using a browser that is not supported. The International Institute of Communications website is built using modern technology and standards. We recommend upgrading your browser with one of the following to properly view our website:

Windows Mac

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of browsers. We also do not intend to recommend a particular manufacturer's browser over another's; only to suggest upgrading to a browser version that is compliant with current standards to give you the best and most secure browsing experience.