MARK DREYFUS
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SHADOW MINISTER FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
UNIFORM DEFAMATION REFORM
Labor welcomes the release of the draft reforms to update national defamation laws.
Today's move by the Council of Attorneys-General is aimed at bringing the 2006 uniform defamation laws into the digital age while protecting responsible public interest journalism.
Labor notes that the defamation reforms have been driven by the NSW Government, in stark contrast to the complete lack of energy shown by the Morrison Government to act on the urgent reforms to protect media freedom demanded by the Right To Know Coalition.
This is a Government that does not know where it stands on freedom of the press and the Australian public's right to know.
Unlike the Attorney-General and Prime Minister, Labor will fight for freedom of the press and the public's right to know. Journalists should not be prosecuted for doing their job.
A strong and independent media is vital to holding governments and opposition parties to account and Labor will continue to stand with journalists and the Right to Know Coalition to fight to defend and to strengthen press freedom.
FRIDAY, 29 NOVEMBER 2019
