PM Howard and Co. are always going on about democratic values and like topics. The fact that this Government has done more to curtail access to Government and policy decisions hasn't been lost on those who follow these things. FOI has almost become a joke - especially if the Government is prepared to spend thousands of dollars to protect itself from anything which it doesn't want you and me to either know about or see.
Whistleblowers are certainly an endangered species, as this editorial, perhaps surprisingly, in The Australian clearly explains:
"The pernicious prosecution of retired customs officer Allan Robert Kessing for allegedly blowing the whistle on the poor state of security at Australian airports is a distressing reminder that the Howard Government's words and deeds are worlds apart when it comes to free speech and the public interest. Mr Kessing has been convicted of making public a classified report that formed the basis of a series of reports in The Australian which led to a $212 million upgrade of national airport security. The classified report detailed a situation of near-anarchy at Sydney airport, which had been infiltrated by corrupt baggage handlers, many with criminal convictions. Mr Kessing now faces up to two years in prison, with the commonwealth saying it will argue for a custodial sentence. The Australian's reporters Martin Chulov and Jonathan Porter have never revealed the source of the information. The Government's first reaction was to downplay its significance, describing it as a "background paper", not a report intended for release. But behind the scenes it set about finding someone to punish for having left it exposed. The report subsequently led to more than $200 million worth of reforms. Such a costly response is clear testament to the report's veracity and worth.
Ironically, Mr Kessing's plight comes as state attorneys-general prepare to meet to approve shield laws proposed by commonwealth Attorney-General Philip Ruddock to protect journalists from having to reveal their sources. The commonwealth has appealed for leniency in the case of News Ltd journalists Michael Harvey and Gerard McManus, who are awaiting sentence after pleading guilty to contempt of court for refusing to name a source in the federal public service. As the Kessing case shows, the Government's professed support for journalists is meaningless while it continues to root out and punish whistleblowers who leak information in the public interest."
Whistleblowers are certainly an endangered species, as this editorial, perhaps surprisingly, in The Australian clearly explains:
"The pernicious prosecution of retired customs officer Allan Robert Kessing for allegedly blowing the whistle on the poor state of security at Australian airports is a distressing reminder that the Howard Government's words and deeds are worlds apart when it comes to free speech and the public interest. Mr Kessing has been convicted of making public a classified report that formed the basis of a series of reports in The Australian which led to a $212 million upgrade of national airport security. The classified report detailed a situation of near-anarchy at Sydney airport, which had been infiltrated by corrupt baggage handlers, many with criminal convictions. Mr Kessing now faces up to two years in prison, with the commonwealth saying it will argue for a custodial sentence. The Australian's reporters Martin Chulov and Jonathan Porter have never revealed the source of the information. The Government's first reaction was to downplay its significance, describing it as a "background paper", not a report intended for release. But behind the scenes it set about finding someone to punish for having left it exposed. The report subsequently led to more than $200 million worth of reforms. Such a costly response is clear testament to the report's veracity and worth.
Ironically, Mr Kessing's plight comes as state attorneys-general prepare to meet to approve shield laws proposed by commonwealth Attorney-General Philip Ruddock to protect journalists from having to reveal their sources. The commonwealth has appealed for leniency in the case of News Ltd journalists Michael Harvey and Gerard McManus, who are awaiting sentence after pleading guilty to contempt of court for refusing to name a source in the federal public service. As the Kessing case shows, the Government's professed support for journalists is meaningless while it continues to root out and punish whistleblowers who leak information in the public interest."
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