Minister backs 'bedrock principle' of press freedom ahead of ABC meeting
Communications Minister Paul Fletcher has declared press freedom to be a "bedrock principle" for the government as he faces growing calls to support a full-scale parliamentary inquiry following last week's police raids on multiple media outlets.
Mr Fletcher signalled the government was open to a review of the issue as Labor indicates support for the exercise while crossbench parties including Centre Alliance push for changes to the law and a full investigation.
"I make the point that our government very strongly supports press freedom. It really is a bedrock principle of the way that democracies operate," Mr Fletcher told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
"We understand that last week's events would cause anxiety amongst journalists. It is very important that all of these processes are governed by the rule of law."
Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick has stepped up his calls for a parliamentary inquiry into the issue, while Finance Minister Mathias Cormann indicated he was open to a Senate review.
Mr Fletcher made no criticism of the Australian Federal Police for executing search warrants on the home of News Corp Australia political editor Annika Smethurst and the Sydney headquarters of the ABC last week.
"I’m not going to make any comments about the AFP’s operational activities and decisions," he said, in one of his first interviews since he was named to the portfolio and elevated to cabinet after the May 18 federal election.
"As other ministers have stated, these were decisions made by the AFP. Ministers were not briefed in advance of this occurring. But the point I make is simply this: that the AFP, along with media organisations and along with every citizen, must operate according to the rule of law."
He said press freedom needed to be balanced against a "range of other considerations" and there had always been constraints, including defamation law.
Asked about whether laws were needed to strengthen the public interest defence for journalism, Mr Fletcher said he was not going to add to comments by others, including Senator Cormann, this week.
"There is a range of issues to be considered here and there'll be further statements in relation to this later in the week," Mr Fletcher said.
Mr Fletcher will join Prime Minister Scott Morrison in a meeting with ABC chair Ita Buttrose later today to discuss the raids.
"Ita is a strong and robust advocate for the ABC and for press freedom as you would expect her to be," he said.
"She’s somebody of very, very deep operational and senior executive experience in the media, across a whole range of sectors over many decades. She’s somebody whose operated very successfully in media organisations led by Sir Frank Packer and Kerry Packer, so she is fearless in speaking her mind."