The Alliance welcomes the federal government’s move to introduce uniform shield laws for journalists, but believes the job is only half done without legal protection for their sources. Attorney-general Philip Ruddock today announced the Evidence Amendment (Journalists' Privilege) Bill 2007, which allows for judicial discretion when considering whether a journalist should be forced to reveal their source. Read the full Alliance release here... 

More than 300 Fairfax staff walked off the job on Wednesday to protest the latest round of redundancies – the third in four years. Striking workers rallied outside the company’s Sydney office and marched to the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, where they packed out the largest hearing room. Staff were eventually ordered back to work. Negotiations continued between the House Committee and management late last night, and will resume at 11am today. Click 'Read more...' to watch Fairfax boss David Kirk run the gamut of striking staff.

The Australian Industrial Relations Commission has issued a return to work order for striking Fairfax staff in Sydney. The order instructs Fairfax employees to return to work by 1pm today, or at the normal start time of their shift, whichever is later. Fairfax Alliance members are meeting at Darling Park, in front of the IBM Building, on Sussex St in the city, prior to 1pm, where Fairfax management will address members.

The Media Alliance welcomes the formation of a cross-industry press freedom network as an important step in reclaiming the independence and freedom of the Australian press.Today’s announcement follows years of concerted campaigning on press freedom issues by the Alliance, and a series of annual reports detailing the deterioration of press freedom in Australia.

“Australia’s media continues to be muzzled by the authoritarian actions of government and an anti-disclosure culture determined to manage and control information,” said Alliance federal secretary, Christopher Warren. Read the full Press Release here...

The Media Alliance has given evidence calling for greater uniform safety training for journalists at the NSW Coroner’s inquest into the deaths of five Australian-based newsmen at Balibo, East Timor, in 1975. Deputy state coroner Dorelle Pinch is examining the murder of Brian Peters and four of his colleagues during the Indonesian invasion of Balibo. The official line has always been that the five were caught in crossfire, but the inquest has heard evidence the men were deliberately targeted because they were journalists and gunned down as they tried to surrender.