Andrews’ media accusers have some explaining of their own to do
In recent days ‘tapegate’ has consumed much of the Victorian political news cycle. In this cross posting from The Conversation academic Mark Pearson looks at legalities around journalists recording sources.
It is a sad day when senior political figures steal a journalist’s recording device and destroy its contents, as we have been told happened at this year’s Victorian Labor Party conference. But it is an even sadder day when we hear a major newspaper – The Age – justifying a senior reporter secretly recording their conversations with sources.
That newspaper’s editorial thundered at state opposition leader Daniel Andrews:
Here is a lesson in the law, Mr Andrews: it is not illegal in this state to record people without their consent if you are a party to the call.
Legal or not, like it or not, since the death of shorthand training, recording telephone conversations has been common practice in every newsroom in the land. It’s no different to note taking in my humble opinion. If you’re talking to a journalist on the record, you’re likely to be quoted. Far better to be quoted accurately.
Interesting juxtaposition of this story alongside the column regarding copyright – If an ISP is “listening in” on users downloading copyrighted material (or absolutely anything else) aren’t they themselves in breach
“of section 7(1) of the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979, which states:
A person shall not: a) intercept; b) authorize, suffer or permit another person to intercept; or c) do any act or thing that will enable him or her or another person to intercept; a communication passing over a telecommunications system.”
Still doesn’t justify Andrews being a numb nut, and spinning the biggest yarn in political history. I’m glad the Age taped it because it ultimately exposed Daniel Andrews and him team for who they really are
Most journos lie when the crunch comes to save their bacon. 20% are trustworthy. The rest are kids who will turn you in. All politicians who did have some trust left for a few of the older hacks will now close ranks. In fact a memo has been sent to the liberal party leaders now explaining exactly that. Everything you say in public or with a journo is ‘on the record’
Mr Pearson may be a journalist, but he has not done much in journalism for the past 25 years if this is a guide. reporters have been using tape as a substitute for notebooks for at least that long.
The really odd thing here is the unusual circumstances. The reporter for some reason kept the interview tape in her device and then took it to the ALP conference, where she lost it. Was she planning to tape over this recording?
I can’t recall having even heard of this sort of thing happening in a newsroom, let alone on the street – or in a political party conference.
Curious.
Tape? What century are we talking about? If it was a digital recorder, everything recorded would have been there until downloaded. No tape to remove.
“Tape”? Where have you been for 25 years, facts are helpful? There’s this thing called digital, dude.
Snap!
Read the Snowden files book, no one needs to record anyone, the NSA, GCHQ and ASIO already have everything documented.
96 million pieces of information recorded in one day.
Privacy is long dead.