Annika Smethurst takes sabbatical from industry due to ‘heavy toll’ of AFP raid

News Corp political editor Annika Smethurst – whose home was raided by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) last year – has announced she is stepping down from her role and taking a sabbatical from journalism due to the “heavy toll” the past 12 months has taken.

Smethurst faced the threat of charges for almost a year over a 2018 story on Government plans to grant the Australian Signals Directorate powers to spy on Australian citizens, before the AFP finally confirmed in May that it would not pursue charges against her.

Smethurst will have some time off from next month