What has been the reaction?<\/h2>\n
The industry’s union, the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance said the case’s dismissal showed “ongoing and serious threats to the public’s right to know”.<\/p>\n
Mr Anderson, from the ABC, said the ruling was “a blow for public interest journalism”.<\/p>\n
He said the court decision highlighted a “serious problem” with Australia’s national security laws. Critics argue they have stifled investigative reporting on government activities.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n “Australia has by far the most onerous secrecy laws of any comparable western democracy – the UK, US, Canada, New Zealand,” said Mr Anderson.<\/p>\n He pointed out that the police raids had occurred nearly three years after the stories were first published.<\/p>\n Police have not ruled out prosecuting Ms Smethurst, and ABC reporters Sam Clarke and Dan Oakes over their stories.<\/p>\n Australia dropped two spots last year to rank 21st out of 177 nations in the World Press Freedom Index, which noted that the nation’s investigative journalism in recent years been reduced due to “draconian legislation”.<\/p>\n “[Australia’s] laws on terrorism and national security make covering these issues almost impossible,” says the index.<\/p>\n Media observers have previously told the BBC that journalists in Australia are enduring unprecedented political pressure.<\/p>\n “I’m not saying this is just about the current government but we have seen an increasing authoritarian mood creeping into the way that the media is handled by the government,” said Prof Catharine Lumby from Macquarie University.<\/p>\n Source: bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"Copies](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/1748\/production\/_109306950_sdsdfsdf.jpg\")
<\/span>How healthy is Australia’s press freedom?<\/h2>\n