Reporters Without Borders ranked Australia 39th out of 180 countries in the annual World Press Freedom Index, dropping from 27th in 2023.
“Press freedom is not constitutionally guaranteed in this island-continent of 26 million people, but a hypercontraction of the media combined with growing pressure from the authorities endanger public interest journalism,” the report stated.
This emphasises how the media landscape of Australia is complex, and impacts press freedom due to factors such as media ownership, national security legislation, and stringent defamation laws.
What is Freedom of the Press?
According to the Australian Press Council’s Charter for a Free Press, it means “the right of the people to be informed by the press on matters of public interest so that they may exercise their rights and duties as citizens.”
“[News publication] shall not be subject to government licence and government authorities should not interfere with the content of news nor restrict access to any news source [in order to] protect the people’s right to know and to contest encroachments upon that right by governments, groups or individuals,” the charter continues.
This freedom is essential for a democratic society, as it enables citizens to be well-informed and ensures a diversity of viewpoints, fostering an inclusive and unbiased public discourse.
However, governments often claim the need to shield certain information from the public in what they believe to be the public’s interest.
This may involve protecting national security by preventing the spread of sensitive information that could compromise the country’s security by aiding enemies in times of conflict or safeguarding personal information to prevent privacy breaches.
Why did Australia rank so low in the World Press Freedom Index?
According to Reporters Without Borders, the main threats to free news media in Australia are journalist safety and legal framework.
Reporters Without Borders argues that while Australian journalists do not face violence, their perception of their security is concerning.
A 2021 survey of journalists from the Media Entertainment Arts Alliance found “nearly 90% said they feared ‘an increase in threats, harassment, or intimidation’, including threats from the government.’”
The most prominent example of these intimidation tactics by the Australian Government on news media was the raids on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in 2019 by the Australian Federal Police.
This led to the government ordering the retrieval of sensitive information obtained by the ABC during their investigative research on the ‘Afghan Files.’
This extraordinary demonstration of information suppression by the Australian government sent shockwaves globally, highlighting the power struggle between the government and media corporations claiming to act for the sake of public interest.
Legislation to ensure press freedom has been implemented in many of Australia’s states and territories to protect the freedom of the media.
However, “Australia’s constitution does not contain an explicit clause to this effect, which causes growing problems” (Reporters Without Borders, 2024) among media professionals, as the right to freedom of expression isn’t legalised, rather, it is implied.
This creates legal uncertainty, and without a clear constitutional guarantee, journalists may face legal consequences such as serving jail time.
The threat of legal implications can lead to self-censorship by journalists, causing them to avoid sensitive or controversial topics to reduce the risk of legal consequences.
Therefore, the absence of constitutional protection gives the government more control over the media, allowing elected officials to enact laws that restrict press freedom and impede the free flow of information.
In comparison, the American Bill of Rights explicitly states, “The First Amendment provides several rights protections: to express ideas through speech and the press.”
Who is solving this problem in Australia?
Australia’s Right to Know (ARTK) campaign has united the country’s top media outlets and organisations to improve press freedom in Australia.
They are fighting for media freedom in order for “the Australian public to be aware of the growing threat to their ability – and fundamental right – to know information that impacts their lives”.
This campaign aims to ensure journalists and media professionals can expose government wrongdoings without fear of retaliation.
The proposed reforms to improve press freedom include the following:
“The right to contest the application for warrants for journalists and media organisations; Exemptions for journalists from laws that would put them in jail for doing their jobs; A new regime that limits which documents can be stamped secret; A properly functioning freedom of information regime; and Defamation law reform.”
Concluding thoughts…
It is crucial to strike a balance between national security and freedom of the press.
While it’s important to safeguard sensitive information, it’s equally vital to allow the press to operate freely for transparency and accountability.
Mechanisms such as judicial oversight, clear legal frameworks, and independent regulatory bodies can help achieve this balance, ensuring that neither national security nor press freedom is excessively compromised.
