[Greens-Media] Media release: Greens NSW support press freedom

[David Shoebridge]

Greens NSW support press freedom

The Greens NSW support the Right to Know Coalition campaign for the decriminalisation of public interest journalism, and greater protection for the media and whistleblowers.

Greens MP David Shoebridge and Justice Spokesperson said: "For too many years Liberal and Labor parties alike have supported laws that constrain the freedom of the press, and protect Governments and corporations against whistleblowers.

"Governments are using laws to limit access to information that the public has a right to know, to hide scandals and avoid accountability.

"Whether it's avoiding accountability through slippery answers in Parliament, unreasonable charges imposed for freedom of information requests or redactions that make releases effectively useless, secrecy seems to be official Government policy.

"Here in NSW these laws are often carried in the Trojan horse of anti-terrorism measures, biosecurity rules or just vague talk about security risks.

"Just recently the NSW Government refused to release the list of buildings with flammable cladding saying that this would pose a terrorism risk, trumping the community's right to know if the places they live, visit or work are safe.

"A free press is an essential feature of a healthy democracy, and a free press requires transparency and access to critical government information. This is rarely the information that the Government wants to provide and that is what makes its release even more important," Mr Shoebridge said.

Media contact: 0408 113 952 or 9230 3030.

Kym Chapple
Senior Advisor
Policy | Communications | Legislation
02 9230 3030
Office of Greens MP David Shoebridge

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