(Australian) Media says government's reaction to WikiLeaks 'troubling'

From The Sydney Morning Herald


Australia's main media players say the federal government's reaction to the release of diplomatic correspondence by the WikiLeaks website is "deeply troubling".

The country's newspaper editors, along with television and radio directors, have written an open letter to Prime Minister Julia Gillard in support of WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange. The letter is supported by the editor-in-chief of The Sydney Morning Herald and Sun Herald, Peter Fray, whose newspapers have reported on the secret US embassy cables provided exclusively to Fairfax newspapers.

"The volume of the leaks is unprecedented, yet the leaking and publication of diplomatic correspondence is not new," the letter, initiated by the Walkley Foundation, states.

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"We ... believe the reaction of the US and Australian governments to date has been deeply troubling.

"We will strongly resist any attempts to make the publication of these or similar documents illegal."

The editors and directors say any attempt to shut down WikiLeaks, prosecute those who publish official leaks, or pressure companies to cease working with the whistle-blower website "is a serious threat to democracy which relies on a free and fearless press".

Ms Gillard has declared the actions of WikiLeaks and Mr Assange "illegal".

Attorney-General Robert McClelland has said the initial leaking of classified documents and their subsequent distribution by WikiLeaks are likely to be illegal.

But the media's open letter notes that so far the government "has been able to point to no Australian law that has been breached".

The editors and directors state that WikiLeaks is simply doing what the media has always done - expose official secrets that governments would prefer to keep in the dark.

"WikiLeaks, just four years old, is part of the media and deserves our support."...

Read More.

Australian Government Makes Up Some Laws To Kill Free Speech And Protect Their Putrid Asses

Now you can see what scum these people really are. It's all out in the open.

From news.com.au

THE Federal Government has elaborated on its position on WikiLeaks, saying both the initial leaking of classified documents and their subsequent distribution by the controversial website is likely to be illegal.
"The unauthorised obtaining of the information may well be an offence,'' Attorney-General Robert McClelland said today.

"The distribution of that information I would think would have a solid argument, again without knowing the United States law, would be an offence.

"Certainly to release that sort of information by an officer of the commonwealth, if it were Australian material, would in my view certainly involve criminality.''

Mr McClelland was speaking in Sydney after launching a new guide for businesses entitled The Insider Threat to Business - A Personnel Security Handbook.

"It is clearly topical,'' Mr McClelland said.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard was on Monday unable to name any Australian laws broken by WikiLeaks or its founder Julian Assange, but claimed the ``foundation stone of it is an illegal act''.

There has been anger throughout the community that the Australian Government appeared to be pre-judging Mr Assange and the activities of WikiLeaks without any charge or trial.

Julian Assange demonstration today in London 1330h Westminster Magistrate's Court

From Boing Boing

A group calling itself "Justice for Assange" has called for a public protest at the Westminster Magistrate's Court in London at 1330h, in time for Julian Assange's hearing on the Swedish arrest warrant that may see him extradited.

PROTEST Today Westminster Magistrate's Court meet 13:30

If the corrupt US authorities want you....apparently all countries of the world just role over like little puppets? Is that it Julia Gillard? You are the traitor to the people, the wicked witch of Australia.