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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
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Kieran Pender

On World Press Freedom Day, will Australia’s major parties pledge to fix our whistleblowing law?

Bernard Collaery Richard Boyle David McBride Australia Christian Porter
Lawyer Bernard Collaery addresses the media outside the supreme court in Canberra, 6 August, 2019.
Lawyer Bernard Collaery addresses the media outside the supreme court in Canberra, 6 August, 2019. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

At its simplest, press freedom is about truth: the ability to report and publish the truth, without fear or favour. In that critical endeavour, whistleblowers – truth-tellers – play an essential role.

It is a dark stain on our democracy that Australia still has several public interest whistleblowers on trial. Richard Boyle, David McBride and Bernard Collaery all face potential jail time for speaking up about serious wrongdoing. It is an indictment on our legal and political system that they continue to be prosecuted for holding power to account.

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