Government dismisses call from Assange campaign to join press freedom forum

Activists campaigning for Julian Assange’s release have said they should have been offered a seat at a press freedom forum organised by the Australian government, as the US court case against the WikiLeaks founder represents a “direct threat to every publisher in that room”.  

Greg Barns SC, an adviser to the Australian Assange Campaign, said the case should be “front and centre” at next Monday’s media roundtable, which is billed as a discussion on press freedom reform. 

“To talk about media freedom without talking about the Assange case means that you’re diminishing the importance of that summit,” Barns told Crikey. 

But Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus’ office dismissed the suggestion the campaign should have been invited, saying the meeting was for employers and groups representing journalists, not activists lobbying for specific causes. 

“We’re inviting a range of people, and there will be other opportunities for people to contribute,” a spokesperson said.

Barns said Assange, the Australian behind the whistleblower website WikiLeaks, is facing an “effective death penalty” if he’s extradited from the UK to the US, where the 51-year-old faces decades in prison on 18 counts including a spying allegation. 

The silk argued Assange’s outcome could have consequences for journalists working in Australia as well.

“In circumstances where the US is using its domestic espionage legislation to prosecute an individual who isn’t a US citizen … it creates a precedent whereby any Australian journalist who publishes material which the US deemed to be adverse to its interests could find themselves being prosecuted,” Barns said. 

“This is a direct threat to every publisher in that room.” 

The roundtable was billed as an opportunity for media organisations to have a “general discussion about press freedom issues in Australia and further options for reform”. 

“The Albanese government believes a strong and independent media is vital to democracy and holding governments to account,” Dreyfus said in a statement announcing the roundtable.

“Journalists should never face the prospect of being charged or even jailed just for doing their jobs.”

A spokesperson from the Attorney-General’s Department said the invitations to a “range of media organisations” would “ensure a balanced cross-section in representation”.

“There is agreement across the Parliament and the community that improved protections for press freedom are needed. The Australian government intends to progress legislative reform as a priority,” the spokesperson said.

“This roundtable is only one opportunity for engagement on issues relating to press freedoms and the government is committed to ongoing engagement about press freedoms and improved protections.”