LNP’s vow on journalist shield laws
In the wake of the Queensland Government’s backflip on laws to gag journalists during election periods, the Opposition has gone further in pledging protections.
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The LNP has pledged that if it wins the October state election it will pave the way for new laws that would protect journalists from having to reveal their sources.
It comes after the State Labor Government last week tried to gag journalists from reporting corruption claims during local and state government election periods, before suddenly backflipping following widespread backlash.
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The Courier-Mail can reveal an LNP government would task the Queensland Law Reform Commission with reviewing the state’s current laws and drafting legislation amendments by June 30 next year.
Queensland is the only jurisdiction in Australia without a shield law that would protect journalists from being compelled to reveal their sources.
In a letter to the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance today, Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington and justice spokesman David Janetzki wrote Queenslanders had a right to know about serious corruption matters or other significant injustices involving government, and protecting the freedom of the media was a fundamental part of democracy.
It follows a landmark decision handed down by the Brisbane Supreme Court last week that found the press had no protection from the state’s corruption watchdog.
The Government came under fire late last week for introducing surprise legislation that would have gagged media from reporting corruption claims during local and state government election periods.
However the laws were pulled just 20 hours later, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk saying they were now completely off the table.
Meanwhile, the Government has today committed to evaluating protections for journalists in other Australian jurisdictions.
Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath said the Government noted the recent court decision handed down last week.
“In considering this judgment and its implications the government will evaluate how journalist protections are operating in other Australian jurisdictions,” she said, when asked if the government would consider shield laws for journalists.