The Media Alliance is working with members on the way forward for freelancers and has published a bulletin for members. Recently we have convinced the ACCC that it was in the best interests of the public, businesses and freelancers that freelancers be exempt from anti-competition penalties.

The Alliance demonstrated that as a general rule contracts were standard anyway and a collective approach to their negotiation would be an exercise that encouraged efficiency in the market.In short, freelancers can now get together and talk about setting prices or standards for copyright, moral rights or other contract terms. The ACCC decision does not give freelancers any employee rights. Freelancers are still businesses operating in a freelance media marketplace.You can find the bulletin here.

The Alliance has formally contacted the deputy leader of the opposition Julie Bishop regarding comments attributed to her about Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. The ABC reports that during a National Press Club debate last week Ms Bishop said the Coalition would consider restricting Mr Assange's travel if in government, which we would consider an assault on press freedom. The ABC report is here You can view our letter to Julie Bishop here We have also contacted Foreign Affairs minister Stephen Smith. See here.

The Alliance has called on WA's Barnett Government to get serious about effective media shield laws after the announcement of “reforms” that still leave journalists exposed to three years’ jail and $60,000 fines for doing their jobs properly. WA Attorney-General Christian Porter said the State Government would legislate to protect media workers who obtain information from confidential sources.

There’s a rocky road ahead for journalists but the Media Alliance and the Walkley Foundation are driving debate about the way our industry is changing and what you’ll have to do to survive the turmoil.

We’ve booked some of the biggest names, both in Australian journalism and the world of news, for the Walkley Media Conference: “What’s the story? Powerful narrative and other tales from the future”, which runs from August 9-12 in Sydney. You owe it to yourself to take advantage of the special rates available to Alliance members to be part of this vital discussion.

Read all about it online, by clicking here.

The International Federation of Journalists this week expressed relief at the end of a more than two-year ordeal for Tamil journalist J.S. Tissanaiyagam, who was detained, jailed, charged and tried on terrorism charges for his reporting on human rights issues in Sri Lanka.

Tissainayagam has been permitted to leave Sri Lanka, joining the growing ranks of Sri Lanka’s senior independent journalists who have felt compelled to seek safety abroad. However, the IFJ remains concerned that the efforts of Sri Lankan authorities to restrict independent and critical journalism continue to sustain a climate of self-censorship and fear among local media personnel and outlets.

The IFJ acknowledges the support of its affiliates worldwide (including the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance) as well as international and local press freedom organisations who have sustained a long campaign to secure justice and freedom for Tissainayagam since he was detained in March 2008.