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| ABC headquarters in Sydney raided by Australian federal police | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The Australian federal police are raiding the ABC offices in Sydney over a series of articles the broadcaster ran in 2017 into the clandestine operations of Australian special forces in Afghanistan. | The Australian federal police are raiding the ABC offices in Sydney over a series of articles the broadcaster ran in 2017 into the clandestine operations of Australian special forces in Afghanistan. |
| The raid on the Ultimo office comes just one day after the AFP raided the home of the News Corp Sunday political editor Annika Smethurst over articles she published in 2018 on proposals to expand Australia’s domestic surveillance capabilities. | The raid on the Ultimo office comes just one day after the AFP raided the home of the News Corp Sunday political editor Annika Smethurst over articles she published in 2018 on proposals to expand Australia’s domestic surveillance capabilities. |
| The ABC warrant names the reporters Dan Oakes and Sam Clark, as well as the ABC news boss, Gaven Morris. | The ABC warrant names the reporters Dan Oakes and Sam Clark, as well as the ABC news boss, Gaven Morris. |
| Scott Morrison deflects questions about raid on News Corp journalist | Scott Morrison deflects questions about raid on News Corp journalist |
| In a statement less than an hour after the AFP officers entered the office, the ABC managing director, David Anderson, called the raid “highly unusual”. | In a statement less than an hour after the AFP officers entered the office, the ABC managing director, David Anderson, called the raid “highly unusual”. |
| “This is a serious development and raises legitimate concerns over freedom of the press and proper public scrutiny of national security and defence matters,” he said. | “This is a serious development and raises legitimate concerns over freedom of the press and proper public scrutiny of national security and defence matters,” he said. |
| “The ABC stands by its journalists, will protect its sources and continue to report without fear or favour on national security and intelligence issues when there is a clear public interest.” | “The ABC stands by its journalists, will protect its sources and continue to report without fear or favour on national security and intelligence issues when there is a clear public interest.” |
| The AFP said it was investigating “allegations of publishing classified material, contrary to provisions of the Crimes Act” after the stories were referred for investigation by the defence force chief the day after the ABC published them in July 2017. | The AFP said it was investigating “allegations of publishing classified material, contrary to provisions of the Crimes Act” after the stories were referred for investigation by the defence force chief the day after the ABC published them in July 2017. |
| “No arrests are planned today as a result of this activity,” the agency said. “This activity is not linked to a search warrant executed in Canberra yesterday.” | “No arrests are planned today as a result of this activity,” the agency said. “This activity is not linked to a search warrant executed in Canberra yesterday.” |
| The ABC reported AFP officers had entered the Harris Street premises just after 11.30am. It is understood the broadcaster had some notice of the raid. | The ABC reported AFP officers had entered the Harris Street premises just after 11.30am. It is understood the broadcaster had some notice of the raid. |
| AFP arriving at ABC. Not sure “welcome” is quite the right word. pic.twitter.com/oRVng3bH2x | AFP arriving at ABC. Not sure “welcome” is quite the right word. pic.twitter.com/oRVng3bH2x |
| The executive editor of the broadcaster’s news section and head of its investigative journalism unit, John Lyons, began live tweeting the raid as it began. | The executive editor of the broadcaster’s news section and head of its investigative journalism unit, John Lyons, began live tweeting the raid as it began. |
| HAPPENING NOW: AFP raid ABC headquarters in Sydney over a 2017 story on 7.30. @annikasmethurst yesterday, then @BenFordham asked by Home Affairs for a source, now the ABC. Is this the new normal? | HAPPENING NOW: AFP raid ABC headquarters in Sydney over a 2017 story on 7.30. @annikasmethurst yesterday, then @BenFordham asked by Home Affairs for a source, now the ABC. Is this the new normal? |
| Lyons reported the ABC’s lawyers asked the officers if the raid had anything to do with Tuesday’s raid on Smethurst, to which they answered no. | Lyons reported the ABC’s lawyers asked the officers if the raid had anything to do with Tuesday’s raid on Smethurst, to which they answered no. |
| The ABC’s legal counsel has informed the officers the broadcaster would waive no rights and “reserve[d] [the] right to take injunction against the warrant”. | The ABC’s legal counsel has informed the officers the broadcaster would waive no rights and “reserve[d] [the] right to take injunction against the warrant”. |
| Lyons said six AFP officers had moved to level 11 of the building to conduct a “search for emails etc”, with the officers saying the search was confined to “very specific matters”. | Lyons said six AFP officers had moved to level 11 of the building to conduct a “search for emails etc”, with the officers saying the search was confined to “very specific matters”. |
| AFP RAID: The AFP tell us they are interested in “certain things.” | AFP RAID: The AFP tell us they are interested in “certain things.” |
| In March 2019, Daniel McBride, a former defence lawyer, was charged on five counts of leaking classified materials for blowing the whistle on the alleged misconduct by Australian special forces in relation to the The Afghan Filesspecial investigation. He has been committed to the supreme court for trial. | In March 2019, Daniel McBride, a former defence lawyer, was charged on five counts of leaking classified materials for blowing the whistle on the alleged misconduct by Australian special forces in relation to the The Afghan Filesspecial investigation. He has been committed to the supreme court for trial. |
| ABC IT staff are being instructed by police to search through our internal email systems for key words. AFP are also seeking “data holdings” in relation to the Afghan Files stories. ABC lawyers are supervising. @abcnews pic.twitter.com/lRu00ZCii7 | ABC IT staff are being instructed by police to search through our internal email systems for key words. AFP are also seeking “data holdings” in relation to the Afghan Files stories. ABC lawyers are supervising. @abcnews pic.twitter.com/lRu00ZCii7 |
| The ABC raid comes less than 24 hours after AFP officers served Smethurst a warrant to search her Canberra home, phone and computer 14 months after she published a story about a top-secret proposal to expand the nation’s domestic surveillance agency’s capabilities. | The ABC raid comes less than 24 hours after AFP officers served Smethurst a warrant to search her Canberra home, phone and computer 14 months after she published a story about a top-secret proposal to expand the nation’s domestic surveillance agency’s capabilities. |
| The AFP spent almost eight hours at Smethurst’s home in a raid condemned by her employer, the media union, the national press gallery, some politicians and digital rights and human rights groups. | The AFP spent almost eight hours at Smethurst’s home in a raid condemned by her employer, the media union, the national press gallery, some politicians and digital rights and human rights groups. |
| The Government has serious questions to answer on this. Press freedom is a critical part of our democracy. Ping @withMEAA https://t.co/WSZYgpmbDv | The Government has serious questions to answer on this. Press freedom is a critical part of our democracy. Ping @withMEAA https://t.co/WSZYgpmbDv |
| On Tuesday afternoon the Sydney radio 2GB host and Sky News presenter Ben Fordham said he had been contacted by home affairs officials after he reported that asylum seeker boats were headed to Australia. | On Tuesday afternoon the Sydney radio 2GB host and Sky News presenter Ben Fordham said he had been contacted by home affairs officials after he reported that asylum seeker boats were headed to Australia. |
| Fordham said the officials had told him he was not the target of the home affairs investigation but the department was seeking to establish who had leaked him the information. | Fordham said the officials had told him he was not the target of the home affairs investigation but the department was seeking to establish who had leaked him the information. |
| During a press conference in London, Scott Morrison attempted to distance himself from the Smethurst raid, saying it was a matter for the AFP and he was “untroubled” by the upholding of Australian laws, but believed in press freedom. | During a press conference in London, Scott Morrison attempted to distance himself from the Smethurst raid, saying it was a matter for the AFP and he was “untroubled” by the upholding of Australian laws, but believed in press freedom. |
| Police raid on Annika Smethurst shows surveillance exposé hit a nerve | Police raid on Annika Smethurst shows surveillance exposé hit a nerve |
| The attorney general, Christian Porter, told ABC radio on Wednesday morning he had not been briefed over the Smethurst raid but did not believe she or her employer were the ultimate target, which appeared to contradict an AFP statement that the warrant related to the “alleged publishing of information classified as an official secret”. | The attorney general, Christian Porter, told ABC radio on Wednesday morning he had not been briefed over the Smethurst raid but did not believe she or her employer were the ultimate target, which appeared to contradict an AFP statement that the warrant related to the “alleged publishing of information classified as an official secret”. |
| “Police will have their reasons for conducting a warrant in a certain way,” Porter told Radio National. | “Police will have their reasons for conducting a warrant in a certain way,” Porter told Radio National. |
| “But the investigation is, as I understand it, under the very longstanding provision of the Crimes Act that relates to the official misuse of unauthorised or information, so an unauthorised disclosure of the information by an official to a third party. | “But the investigation is, as I understand it, under the very longstanding provision of the Crimes Act that relates to the official misuse of unauthorised or information, so an unauthorised disclosure of the information by an official to a third party. |
| “So the investigation, if I can summarise in broad terms, is not about the journalist per se, it’s about someone who may or may not have made an unauthorised disclosure against the terms of a very well-known provision of the Crimes Act to a third party.” | “So the investigation, if I can summarise in broad terms, is not about the journalist per se, it’s about someone who may or may not have made an unauthorised disclosure against the terms of a very well-known provision of the Crimes Act to a third party.” |
| On Tuesday, the AFP said the warrant did relate to the publication of the information. | On Tuesday, the AFP said the warrant did relate to the publication of the information. |
| Updated statement re. this morning’s warrants in Canberra. This warrant relates to the alleged publishing of information classified as an official secret, which is an extremely serious matter with the potential to undermine Australia’s national security.https://t.co/BfWkTYXQFN | Updated statement re. this morning’s warrants in Canberra. This warrant relates to the alleged publishing of information classified as an official secret, which is an extremely serious matter with the potential to undermine Australia’s national security.https://t.co/BfWkTYXQFN |
| The AFP has not clarified what law its investigations relate to in either case. | The AFP has not clarified what law its investigations relate to in either case. |
| Section 79 of the Crimes Act includes the offence of “communicating or allowing someone to have access to prescribed information without authorisation with the intention of prejudicing national security”. | Section 79 of the Crimes Act includes the offence of “communicating or allowing someone to have access to prescribed information without authorisation with the intention of prejudicing national security”. |
| Labor’s shadow home affairs minister, Kristina Keneally, said the opposition had requested a briefing from home affairs “to seek to understand why raids of such nature are warranted”, describing it “a very significant action”. | Labor’s shadow home affairs minister, Kristina Keneally, said the opposition had requested a briefing from home affairs “to seek to understand why raids of such nature are warranted”, describing it “a very significant action”. |
| “Minister Dutton must explain what he knew about these two raids – one on a journalist’s home and one on the ABC,” she said. “Freedom of the press is an essential component of our democracy.” | “Minister Dutton must explain what he knew about these two raids – one on a journalist’s home and one on the ABC,” she said. “Freedom of the press is an essential component of our democracy.” |
| In a media conference held before the news of the ABC warrant broke, the opposition leader, Anthony Albanese, condemned the Smethurst raid as “outrageous”. | In a media conference held before the news of the ABC warrant broke, the opposition leader, Anthony Albanese, condemned the Smethurst raid as “outrageous”. |
| “People do have a right to know if the government has proposals to interfere with their privacy in a way which I believe, is something that Australians should have some say over or at least knowledge of,” he said. | “People do have a right to know if the government has proposals to interfere with their privacy in a way which I believe, is something that Australians should have some say over or at least knowledge of,” he said. |
| The legal director at the Human Rights Law Centre, Emily Howie, said the government’s new espionage laws, passed with the help of Labor last year, raised concerns about the future of public interest journalism. | The legal director at the Human Rights Law Centre, Emily Howie, said the government’s new espionage laws, passed with the help of Labor last year, raised concerns about the future of public interest journalism. |
| “The new espionage offence is just the latest law to cover government in a shroud of secrecy and prevent insiders from speaking out. It’s a dangerous law that goes too far and damages press freedom and should urgently be reformed,” she said. | “The new espionage offence is just the latest law to cover government in a shroud of secrecy and prevent insiders from speaking out. It’s a dangerous law that goes too far and damages press freedom and should urgently be reformed,” she said. |
| “The raids highlight just how dangerous it has become for whistleblowers to reveal information in the public interest.” | “The raids highlight just how dangerous it has become for whistleblowers to reveal information in the public interest.” |
| The media union, the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, said the ABC raid represented “a disturbing attempt to intimidate legitimate news journalism that was in the public interest”. | The media union, the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, said the ABC raid represented “a disturbing attempt to intimidate legitimate news journalism that was in the public interest”. |
| The president of the union’s media section, Marcus Strom, said both the Coalition and Labor needed to “take collective responsibility for the legal framework they’ve created that is allowing for what appears to be a politically motivated assault on press freedom”. | The president of the union’s media section, Marcus Strom, said both the Coalition and Labor needed to “take collective responsibility for the legal framework they’ve created that is allowing for what appears to be a politically motivated assault on press freedom”. |
| Media statement: Second AFP raid in two days a disturbing ‘new normal’ that seeks to criminalise journalism. https://t.co/66rTDaE1A9 #MEAAmedia #pressfreedom pic.twitter.com/m3ATYXdrvD | Media statement: Second AFP raid in two days a disturbing ‘new normal’ that seeks to criminalise journalism. https://t.co/66rTDaE1A9 #MEAAmedia #pressfreedom pic.twitter.com/m3ATYXdrvD |
| “A second day of raids by the Australian federal police sets a disturbing pattern of assaults on Australian press freedom. This is nothing short of an attack on the public’s right to know … | “A second day of raids by the Australian federal police sets a disturbing pattern of assaults on Australian press freedom. This is nothing short of an attack on the public’s right to know … |
| “It is equally clear that the spate of national security laws passed by the parliament over the past six years have been designed not just to combat terrorism but to persecute and prosecute whistleblowers who seek to expose wrongdoing. These laws seek to muzzle the media and criminalise legitimate journalism. They seek to punish those that tell Australians the truth.” | “It is equally clear that the spate of national security laws passed by the parliament over the past six years have been designed not just to combat terrorism but to persecute and prosecute whistleblowers who seek to expose wrongdoing. These laws seek to muzzle the media and criminalise legitimate journalism. They seek to punish those that tell Australians the truth.” |
| For the record,@DanielMOakes and @sclark_melbs are two of @abcnews’ finest journalists. Honest and committed to telling the truth in the Australian public’s interests. Just like @annikasmethurst. I’m proud of the difficult work they all do. | For the record,@DanielMOakes and @sclark_melbs are two of @abcnews’ finest journalists. Honest and committed to telling the truth in the Australian public’s interests. Just like @annikasmethurst. I’m proud of the difficult work they all do. |
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