Journalists should also stand against poor treatment from unions, activist groups and yes, even the media. Otherwise they will fall into a natural tendency towards anti-establishment, so-called progressive or left-of-centre causes.
Voters, in their wisdom, tend not to be ideological. They know their interests come under assault from all directions; from big business and arrogant governments, to be sure, but also from Extinction Rebellion protesters, zealous anti-development protesters and media that skews crucial debates.
While the combined Australian media campaign for journalistic freedom is timely and its focus on government legislation, police practices and the inclination of our courts to suppress information is justified, there is more to consider. There is a risk the media freedom campaign will be characterised as a contest between journalists and politicians, and like it or lump it, many people don’t really have great respect or high expectations for either side of that battle.
To win the argument, or at least garner support, journalists need to be seen to be fighting for the public, not the media. And to be plausible on that front they need to be open about secrecy and opaque practices everywhere, including in the media. For the public to have confidence in the media they need to know journalists will shine a light wherever it is needed.
Too often that is not the case. We come to this debate after a federal election in which swathes of the journalistic class, including everyone at public broadcasters, failed to comprehend what was going on — not because it wasn’t obvious but because they were too caught up in ideological wishful thinking. Rather than have journalists honestly interpreting what was unfolding, we saw months of disingenuous coverage pretending away a radical Labor agenda. In the end it was voters who forced journalists to confront reality (but many remain in denial).
This sees the media held in dangerously low regard, weakening its hand when campaigning against secretive governments. As Jordan Peterson reminded us, before you change the world it helps to get your own room in order.
Even-handedness and self-awareness can only increase confidence in the media and strengthen its authority when tackling legislative overreach. My views on this dynamic were informed and shaped by the Hindmarsh Island Bridge controversy that culminated in 1995. A fabricated “secret women’s business” claim was used to block a bridge project and a major development contingent upon it, bankrupting a family and overturning any realistic prospect of natural justice or investment certainty.
Politicians, media, green groups, churches and Aboriginal groups all hid behind confected secrecy in order to deliver what they saw as a timely cultural victory. When dissident women blew the whistle on the scam, my investigations (and a royal commission) revealed a progression from anti-development protests, to environmental issues to indigenous claims and eventually to secret women’s business.
The public broadcasters and the journalists union played a jaundiced role, embracing secrecy, aligning with activists and giving a Walkley award to the reporter who unquestioningly covered what turned out to be fabricated claims.
Journalists have run relentless campaigns to undermine strong border protection policies including fake crimes on Nauru, fabricated torture claims against navy personnel and false equivalence between illegal people-smuggling and plane arrivals claiming asylum.
Journalists will win more support for special protection if the public know they will tackle all issues on their merits, admit when they are wrong and expose their own practices to more sunlight.
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When it comes to media freedom, journalists see themselves as fighting for the rights of citizens in the face of obstruction from governments and major corporations. This is a noble cause, as far as it goes, but it is only part of the story.