The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance welcomes Labor’s information policy which would go a long way to improving the freedom of the press and the public’s access to information. Alliance federal secretary, Christopher Warren said: “These are reforms that were suggested more than a decade ago,” Warren said. “Left to languish for more than a decade, we have seen this country’s press freedoms diminished; our access to important information eroded and courageous whistleblowers prosecuted.”

Warren said he particularly welcomed Labor’s plans to implement the recommendations of the 1996 “Open Government” report, including the appointment of a Freedom of Information Commissioner, and the pledge to provide extra protection for journalists in the shape of reformed shield laws.

The Alliance has long campaigned against the culture of secrecy and the micro-management of news which has overtaken this country and this year formed, with several of Australia’s big media organisations, the Your Right to Know Coalition to fight for more openness in Australia.

“We are pleased to see Labor, through the announcement made by the shadow attorney-general, Joe Ludwig, today, saying that they intend to address these issues, which are of critical concern to anyone interested in democracy in this country,” Warren said.

“The report opens with the presumption that government-held information should be held to be freely available the public. Any move to clear away the obstacles between the Australian people and important knowledge is to be applauded.”

The Alliance is particularly pleased to see:

• Labor’s plan to revise the Freedom of Information Act and the intention to appoint an independent FOI commissioner;
• The pledge to reform the use of suppression orders;
• The pledge to abolish the FOI conclusive certificate rules; and
• The added protection for journalists’ confidential sources.

“This announcement indicates that Labor is prepared to do something about improving the public’s access to information and we look forward to working with them to flesh out the detail,” Warren said.

Read the full ALP information policy here.