AWU donations affair: TV networks knew of raids before Cash leak

Major TV networks received a tip-off about the AWU raid, ahead of a separate leak from the office of Michaelia Cash.

Australian Federal Police officers outside the AWU offices in Melbourne. Picture: Aaron Francis

Major television networks ­received a tip-off about the Australian Workers Union raid, ahead of a separate leak from the office of Employment Minister Michaelia Cash.

The Australian can reveal Labor attacks on the government over tipping-off the “television cameras” could be in question, with new information revealing other tips were made to newsrooms in Sydney and Melbourne, where the raids were taking place.

Information was provided to the Nine Network — outside of Canberra — while the Seven Network, which claims it was the first on the scene to cover the AWU raids, also received a tip-off.

Labor used a Buzzfeed media report that Senator Cash’s office had informed two journalists at 3.30pm, almost an hour before the Australian Federal Police raids began, to accuse the government of ensuring that television camera crews would be waiting outside the AWU offices.

In an interview on Wednesday, senior Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese suggested major networks had been tipped off about the raids by the office of Senator Cash. “Ask anyone in Channel 7 or Channel 9, or the people who directly got calls from Michaelia Cash’s media office,” he told 5AA radio. “The AWU found out something was going on because the media were there before the police.”

The Nine and Seven networks, which have not divulged their sources, were not behind leaks to Buzzfeed. ABC sources told The Australian that they received confirmation of the raids from the AFP after the raids commenced.

While it remained unclear yesterday when Labor officials were alerted to the AWU raids, union leaders have publicly said they received information from journalists about the role of Senator Cash’s office in tipping-off the media.

AWU national secretary Daniel Walton yesterday told The Australian he had fielded at least five calls from different journalists — including those outside the federal press gallery — informing him that Senator Cash’s office had leaked information about the raid.

The AWU yesterday lodged a Freedom Of Information request for documents from Senator Cash’s office, with Mr Walton tweeting: “What did Cash know and when? What did the PM know and when?”

Senator Cash, on five occasions, denied her office leaked information about the raids but was later forced to change her story following a break in a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday night when her senior media ­adviser, David De Garis, admitted informing the media.

Senator Cash clarified that Mr De Garis, who has since resigned, had only learnt of the raids from a “media source” and did not think any other staff were aware of Mr De Garis’ actions.

“The evidence that I gave was based on the knowledge that I possessed at the time ... During the dinner break yesterday I sought further assurances from my staff and I was advised ... that without my knowledge one staff member in my office, in the course of discussions with journalists, indicated that he had received information that a raid may take place,” Senator Cash said. “He conveyed that to journalists. I was not aware of it at the time.”