Sir Richard Branson backs Australia’s Right To Know press freedom campaign

Billionaire Sir Richard Branson has come out swinging against those in power as he backed Australian media’s Your Right To Know campaign.

Exclusive: Sir Richard Branson has called out “people in power” as he threw his support behind the Australian media’s Your Right To Know campaign.

The billionaire founder of the Virgin Group, who is a staunch advocate for media freedom, told News Corp he saw how every Australian newspaper’s front page was blacked out as the Australia’s Right To Know coalition was launched.

He praised all media outlets for “fighting back”.

“I saw the front pages, and I took my hat off to newspapers in Australia for fighting back in the way they did,” he said.

“Press freedom is an absolute essential part of a democracy and should not be interfered with.

“People who are in power who almost always are complaining about the press and sometimes maybe justifiably, but more often than not, they just don’t like to hear bad news.”

Mr Branson also called on the Australian public to stand up and speak out to protect freedom of the press.

British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson speaks to the media at Bondi Beach in Sydney this week where he launched his next Virgin Active gym. Picture: AAP

“I think what the press are doing in fighting back is important,” he said.

“Everybody in Australia should also speak up in favour of the press.

“You’ve got the same basic we do in London on libel and America doesn’t have that so you can have Trump saying what he wants and getting away with it.

“But the libel laws should be sufficient to protect people when they feel there is an inaccuracy and they shouldn’t go further than that.”

Sir Richard Branson greets commuters to announce Virgin Voyages and Virgin Australia will offer flight and cruise packages for Aussies wanting to cruise the Caribbean. Picture: Toby Zerna

In a piece Mr Branson penned on his Virgin website in July titled ‘Why we should defend media freedom’, he wrote: “It’s time we put an end to the hate, the abuse, the threats journalists are forced to confront every day.

“What I’d like to see emerge is a global alliance for media freedom united in this common cause. There is no time to lose. Worldwide, at least 99 journalists were murdered in 2018, many more assaulted or imprisoned. Few of the killers were ever held responsible. We must do what we can to end the violence and restore accountability.”

Mr Branson’s comments come as he visits Australia to launch his Virgin Voyages cruise ship with tailored package deals for Australians through his Virgin Australia airline.

Sir Richard Branson announces Virgin Voyages and Virgin Australia will offer flight and cruise packages for Aussies wanting to cruise the Caribbean. Picture: Toby Zerna

It also comes as media bosses met with Attorney-General Christian Porter and Communications Minister Paul Fletcher to discuss a parliamentary inquiry into the impact of national security laws on press freedoms and public transparency.

It comes after recent raids on the Canberra home of News Corp journalist Annika Smethurst and the ABC in Sydney.

News Corp political editor Annika Smethurst was raided by the federal police. Picture: Kym Smith

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The inquiry is due to report on its findings in a fortnight, where law reform changes could be made by the Federal Government to protect whistleblowers and the public’s right to know.

News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller said the meeting was “constructive”.

Nine Entertainment CEO Hugh Marks, News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller and ABC Director News Gavin Morris at a press conference in Canberra.

“This isn’t just about laws and journalists, it’s about transparency, its about the (public’s) right to know and a suspicion and desire to have an open government,” he said.

The Right to Know campaign, backed by some of the country’s biggest media companies including the ABC, Nine and SBS, is asking for six legal reforms to combat government secrecy, protect the public’s access to information, and enshrine protections for journalists and whistleblowers.