MONDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2014
PFF, Rarotonga, COOK ISLANDS Wed 15th October 2014
Global support for investigative journalism in Australia and New Zealand is a welcome response to law changes and a
police raid, says the Pacific Freedom Forum
"Particularly welcome is the call from the Freedom of the Press Foundation in the United States for worldwide
fundraising for legal defence," says PFF Chair Titi Gabi.
PFF is calling on Australia and New Zealand to urgently review law changes that restrict press freedom, and a police
raid on the home of an investigative journalist.
"Media freedoms in the Pacific have long been supported by Australia and New Zealand," says PFF Chair Titi Gabi.
"To now see actions against those freedoms by authorities in those countries is alarming," she says.
PFF joins the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers, an organisation representing 18,000 publications in
120 countries, along with other media freedom groups around the world in calling for the new Australian security laws to
be revised.
"Journalism is not a crime," says Gabi, a journalist based in Papua New Guinea.
"Australia cannot credibly condemn the jailing of Al-Jazeera journalists on security charges in Egypt while pursuing
similar powers in its own country."
Concerns about the new laws were raised globally as New Zealand authorities also raise the prospect of similar laws
there.
At the same time, police in Wellington raided the home of Nicky Hager, whose recent book exposed high level attacks on
the country's Serious Fraud Office and political interference in the handling of information from intelligence services.
PFF Co-Chair Monica Miller says the raid raises further doubts about the neutrality of security and law enforcement in
New Zealand.
"Police have yet to show that they are taking the issues raised in this expose seriously.
"Instead, they appear to be placing greater priority on investigating the messenger first," says Miller, based in
American Samoa.
Hager is a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, and it was a recent expose of leaked
emails in his book "Dirty Politics" that saw police raid the author's home.
Says Miller, "At a time when there are global concerns about extensive state surveillance of citizens, heavy jail terms
and police raids raise further concerns about the always fine balance between security and liberty."
PFF is calling on the governments of Australia and New Zealand to show greater respect for the separation of powers
between news media in its role as the Fourth Estate.
LINKS:
Australia passes security law, raising fears for press freedom
Second phase of Government's anti-terror measures could endanger freedom of speech, human rights advocates say
Terror laws are a step too far - editorial
Five reasons terror laws wreck media freedom and democracy
Australian security laws ‘a threat to future of journalism’, says press body
Dirty Politics: Police raid Nicky Hager's home
Greenwald criticises Hager raid
Nicky Hager's supporters raise thousands for legal fight
Hager fundraising goes global
British medical journal attacks corporate trolls