Shield laws a victory for free speech

The Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, has welcomed the historic passage of his Private Members Bill that will protect journalists and their sources.

The Evidence Amendment (Journalists’ Privilege) Bill 2010 will allow journalists to follow the profession’s code of ethics and protect anonymous sources’ identities unless a court can prove that the public interest is best served in disclosing the identity of a source.

Today the House of Representatives agreed to Senate amendments to the bill which broadened protection beyond professional journalists to anyone “engaged and active in the publication of news’’.

The bill now awaits only for Royal Assent before becoming law.

“This bill is based on the premise that everyone has the fundamental right to free speech and that sometimes people need to speak out anonymously, especially when it comes to people blowing the whistle on official misconduct,’’ Mr Wilkie said.

“It protects them and it protects the journalists who have taken their trust and promised them anonymity.

“Central to Australia’s democracy is freedom of both speech and the press. I believe that this bill goes some way to protecting both.’’

Mr Wilkie’s bill is the first Private Members Bill to pass in this Parliament and only the 18th since Federation more than a century ago.