By Ayo Kehinde with Agency Reports
Newspapers in Australia are protesting against what they term government’s press restrictions that are undemocratic.
In their show of solidarity against the government, they published blanked out front pages on Monday with red stamps marked “secret”.
According to reports, two biggest news outfits News Corp Australia, publishers of The Australian and The Daily Telegraph and Nine, publisher of Sydney Morning Herald and The Age are leading the protest against the restrictions they say are stifling reporting and starting a “culture of secrecy” in the country.
The Right To Know coalition, which started the campaign on Monday, say several TV, radio and online publications have joined. The campaign is calling for reforms to the country’s freedom of information and defamation laws and other security laws that are threatening investigative journalism in Australia.
According to Michael Miller, executive chairman of News Corp Australia, in a tweet, “the public should ask the government: “What are they trying to hide from me?”
In his reaction, ABC Managing Director David Anderson said: “Australia is at risk of becoming the world’s most secretive democracy.”
On Sunday, the Australian government stated it was possible that three journalists may face prosecution in the wake of the raids of some media houses by the government.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison was quoted as saying press freedom was important to Australia’s democracy, but added the “rule of law” needed to be upheld.
“That includes me, or any journalist, or anyone else,” he said.
