Distrust grows in process after police raids on ABC

Politicians have been allowed to get away with obfuscation, lies and failing to answer questions we have a right to have answers to.

Australian Federal Police investigators leave the main entrance to the ABC building located at Ultimo in Sydney, Wednesday, June 5, 2019. Federal police officers have raided ABC's Sydney offices over stories published in 2017 that suggested Australian troops may have committed war crimes. Picture: BIANCA DEMARCHI

AFTER a controversial week when the Australian Federal Police conducted raids on a journalist's home and the ABC, Bill Hoffman (Daily, June 8) rightly spells out the issues that have brought us to this point and some of the consequences.

Traditionally, journalists have played the crucial role of reporting information of interest to the public thus ensuring governments, companies and individuals are accountable for their actions.

Our democracy depends on openness and accountability to be sure it is fair and free of corruption.

Too many journalists have failed to hold this government to account.

Politicians have been allowed to get away with obfuscation, lies and failing to answer questions we have a right to have answers to.

Over the past few years laws have been passed which have eroded many of our freedoms such as our right to privacy.

Unfortunately, the Opposition allowed too many of these laws through for fear of being wedged as weak on national security though they promised a review of them.

Government at all levels should be by the people's representatives to serve the people, not their own self interests.

As Bill Hoffman says, "The failure of politicians in a democracy to speak unambiguously about intent and to provide transparency in their deliberations is at the heart of distrust in the political process at all levels of government”.

ROBYN DEANE

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