1# Oral presentation 2 3**Topic:** Importance of media independence and transparency for democracy 4 5## Context 6 7- <https://theconversation.com/why-the-raids-on-australian-media-present-a-clear-threat-to-democracy-118334> 8- <https://www.smh.com.au/national/australian-federal-police-raid-abc-headquarters-at-sydney-s-ultimo-20190605-p51uof.html> 9- <https://washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/06/10/australia-is-war-with-journalists/> 10- <https://www.pm.gov.au/media/doorstop-interview-portsmouth-uk> 11- <https://www.afp.gov.au/news-media/media-releases/afp-statement-search-warrant-sydney> 12 13Journalist Information Warrant - allows access to restrained metadata 14AFP raid on ABC - June 2019 15"alleged publishing of information classified as an official secret" 16 17 18## Articles 19 20Ananian-Welsh. _Why the raids on Australian media present a clear threat to democracy_. <https://theconversation.com/why-the-raids-on-australian-media-present-a-clear-threat-to-democracy-118334> 21Ketchell, Misha. _The devil is in the detail of government bill to enable access to communications data_. <https://theconversation.com/the-devil-is-in-the-detail-of-government-bill-to-enable-access-to-communications-data-96909> 22UNESCO. _World Trends in Freedom of Expression and Media Development_. 2018. <https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000261065> 23Parker, Samuel. _‘Unwanted invaders’: The representation of refugees and asylum seekers in the UK and Australian print media_. March 2016. <http://orca.cf.ac.uk/79108/1/ESharp%20Article%20SP.pdf> 24 25 26## Structure 27 28**Introduction** 29Discuss context and recent developments 30 31- ABC raided on 5 June 2019 for "the Afghan files" report 32- Leaked defence documents which revealed corruption, incl. killing of unarmed men and children (murder) - ethical appeal 33- Lyons (ABC exec. editor): "we waive no rights, and reserve the right to take injunction against the warrant" 34- Secrecy offences punishable by seven years imprisonment 35- AFP also searched Annikea Smethurt's house (not connected) - personal surveillance report 36- Morrisson "not troubled" by raids, but said "I believe in freedom of the press"???kek 37- Importance & risk of public interest journalism 38 39**1. Importance of source confidentiality/protection** 40 41- Ethical foundation of journalists 42- Enables individuals to share controversial/sensitive information with journalists without fear of persecution 43- International Convenant on Civil and Political Rights - <https://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/docs/gc34.pdf> 44- Right of access to information: "right of access to informmation held by public bodies ... [including] records held by a public body, regardless of the form" 45- "The right of access to information includes a right whereby the media has access to information on public affairs" 46- "Every individual should have the right to ascertain in an intelligible form ... what personal data is stored in automatic data files, and for what purposes" 47- Limited aid of encrypted messaging and internal protocols 48 49**2. Impact on democracy** 50 51- AU has more national security laws than any other nation 52- AU is the only liberal democracy without Charter of Human Rights to protect media freedom 53- Democracy means everyone has the right to contribute to the choosing of their government. If the government is not portraying themselves honestly, how can we make an accurate decision? 54- Analogy to control of media in Ukraine (no English media allowed), other communist states 55 56**3. Risk of bias** 57 58- Control of media could lead to more drastic censorship 59- Society has a right to know the truth about the leadership of their country 60- With censorship, journalists cannot do their job - their abilities are being stifled 61- Media could slowly become taken over by the government, leading to further corruption ("slippery slope") 62- Surveillance 63 64 65 66**Conclusion** 67 68- Kevin Rudd calls for royal commission for media power abuse and unethical journalism (e.g. Murdoch) 69- Decline of public interest journalism 70- Sources are less likely to take risks to reveal corruption and misconduct 71- Media Freedom Act - recognise and protect freedom of jouranlists 72 73## Speech 74 75As a young and aspiring Australian, I believe I have the right to know what's going on in this country, through unbiased and transparent media reporting. Integrity of the media is absolutely necessary for the implementation of a sound democracy free of corruption, and at the moment, we are dangerously close to slippery slope of censorship and corrupt journalism. The recent raids on the ABC, which occured in June in response to a report titled "The Afghan Files", are a prime example of the impact that government control can have on this industry - it undermines the fundamental principles of investigative journalism,