In the last five weeks:
- The private home of a journalist has been raided;
- The Sydney headquarters of Australias national broadcaster has been raided; and
- We learned Qantas had been forced to hand over the private travel arrangements of an ABC journalist.
Last week when put to the test on this issue the Morrison Government failed voting against Labor's Senate motion to establish a Parliamentary Joint Select Committee into the Publics Right to Know and Press Freedom.
Government Senators including the Foreign Minister voted this motion down.
Labor joins the Foreign Minister in declaring our clear support for the protection of journalists and the right to freedom of expression. We applaud her condemnation of the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
However, it is now time for the Minister's words overseas to be backed up by action from her Government at home.
Authorised by Noah Carroll, ALP, Canberra.