CCL Executive Member Hannah Ryan has written a powerful opinion piece for New Matilda, arguing that Labor has been 'bought out' on data retention and has not lived up to its responsibility as a robust Opposition. The small amount of protection for journalists offers little consolation and leaves "the rotten core of the bill entirely unassailed". She writes:

"But if one imagines a responsible opposition party, genuinely interested in making good law and sticking up for journalists, one would think that party might have allowed news organisations to put their case on data retention to Parliament, as they were due to do before Labor agreed on the amendments and cancelled the hearing...

But the focus on its own interests is both predictable and irresponsible. The question of the design of the warrant scheme for access to journalists’ data has obscured the stark fact that we are a hair’s breadth away from legislating the loss of privacy for all Australians...

The weakness of the protection given to journalists should be of concern to anyone interested in the practice of investigative journalism, and ultimately in democracy, but it is most remarkable for the fact that it was the sorry bartering chip which Labor accepted in exchange for the transformation of this country into one where we are all suspects."

Article: Labor And Journalists Have Sold You Out On Brandis' Surveillance Law. Article no longer available. 

Source: New Matilda, 24/03/2015