MEAA Calls for National Shield Laws

The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) has launched a month-long campaign calling for greater press freedom, including a national approach to shield laws allowing reporters to protect confidential sources. This call for a national legislative approach to protect journalists arose as result of five Australian journalists facing legal actions for refusing to disclose information given in confidence.

The spokesman for MEAA, Paul Murphy, says that "Today we face the unprecedented situation where five journalists are facing the possibility of criminal proceedings, of convictions, of fines and of possible imprisonment for doing nothing other than doing their job in the public interest, reporting matters in the public interest, and acting ethically and responsibly in respecting the confidentiality of their sources."

Fairfax’s Adele Ferguson, author of a book about Gina Reinhardt, is being taken to court by the mining magnate in an attempt to force her to disclose her sources. Ms Ferguson stated about her source: “…we had an agreement, as all of us do – sometimes we speak on the record to our contacts, sometimes it’s off the record, and that is sacred.” Ms Ferguson made it clear that in accordance with the journalist Code of Ethics, she could not comply with an order to reveal her sources.

Many states already have shield laws in place protecting journalist from subpoenas of this nature. However, journalists are still facing criminal convictions in other states for maintaining their ethical responsibility to protect their sources. The MEAA campaign calling for national shield law will run for 30 days.

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