Australian government announces push towards new privacy law
The Australian media may face a new privacy law after the government today moved to capitalise on the furore surrounding voicemail hacking by News Corp’s News of the World in the UK.
In an announcement this morning, Brendan O’Connor, the minister for privacy and freedom of information, said:
“Right now there is no general right to privacy in Australia, and that means there’s no certainty for anyone wanting to sue for an invasion of their privacy,” Mr O’Connor said.
“The News of the World scandal and other recent mass breaches of privacy, both at home and abroad, have put the spotlight on whether there should be such a right.”
“This Government strongly believes in the principle of freedom of expression and also the right to privacy. Any changes to our laws will have to strike a balance between the two ideals.”
It was unclear which “at home” breaches of privacy O’Connor was referring to.
He said that a period of public consultation will follow.
Yesterday News Limited boss John Hartigan said that prime minister Julia Gillards comments about the company having questions to answer locally were unjustified.
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
Linkedin
Maybe they should look at regulating Today Tonight and A Current Affair…?
They are the closest examples of what happens over in the UK.
User ID not verified.
What would Sir Frank Packer say to this crap. News is news. Get with the new age of news gathering. We used to sit around and wait for the press releases. Then they faxed them in but we still were glued to the police radio. Next we sat outside victum’s houses wating for them to come out or pinched a photo off the mantlepiece. An editor wants a story and you have to get it and you have to get the edge on the competition. I remember ringing company directors up at 11:00pm and getting politicans out of bed. News gathering has changed and it has changed with the new digital medium. There has always been a fine line between what the public needs to know and what needs to be private. That’s what we have editors, subs and lawyers for. I view any constraints on journalists news gathering as an afront to freedom of speech. Has everyone forgotten PIX, Post, People and specially Private Eye; Fred Benchley and Max Newton. The latter had the temerity to print the budget papers on the eve of their release! I fear we are becoming Nannier by the day. This has the danger of being blown completely out of proportion and when people like Bob Brown and the lunatic fringe element become involved I cringe. Murdoch would have no idea what his journalists were doing and nor should he but his editoris would and it is they who should neheld to account.
User ID not verified.
Does that mean no more paparazzi. The takeaway coffee shops in some areas will go broke.
User ID not verified.