Australian media organisations have told a parliamentary inquiry the Albanese government's national integrity commission should hold public hearings by default, rather than in "exceptional circumstances" as set out in the bill.
A group representing the nation's biggest media companies, including Nine Network and News Corp Australia, says the high threshold for public hearings under the proposed anti-corruption body should be lowered.
The Albanese government's proposed $262 million National Anti-Corruption Commission is being examined by a joint parliamentary committee, with public hearings being held in Canberra this week.
The commission would operate independently of the government, and have powers to investigate serious or systemic corrupt conduct across the commonwealth public sector.
The high test for public hearings, which under the government's bill would only be held in "exceptional circumstances", has attracted criticism from the crossbench, retired judges, and integrity advocates.
Grant McAvaney, representing News Corp Australia, said the media outlets understood the need for private hearings including for national security concerns, or court proceedings.
"The starting position should be, if we want to have public confidence in this system, let's have it open, not the flip side," he told the committee.
Other bodies representing media organisations also supported that position.
A joint submission by many of the outlets says the warrant provision in the bill allows the anti-corruption body to "easily circumvent" the protection afforded to journalists.
They argue an application for a warrant should be made to a judge of a superior court, with the journalist or media organisation to be notified, and allowed enough time to find representation.
"These principles are not a 'wish list' or 'nice to have' - they are necessary," the submission reads.
Committee members asked the organisations' representatives whether an application process for a warrant would allow the destruction of material or evidence by the journalist.
Mr McAvaney said there were laws prohibiting that from taking place, and media outlets didn't function that way.
"They're not deleting hard drives, ripping up notes, swallowing them," he said.
Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance deputy chief executive Adam Portelli said a contested hearing for search warrants introduced in the UK hasn't resulted in the relocation or destruction of material.
The committee will report back by November 10.
