Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

I want to make clear that these amendments are not supported. The amendments go to, largely, the external disclosure provisions of the Public Interest Disclosure Act, which will be carefully considered as part of the stage 2 reform process that I've outlined both in introducing the bill and in summing up, which I just did a moment ago.

I'd say, more generally, that there's a real question about even the possibility of defining a 'journalist' in legislation, given the transformation that's occurring and which the member Goldstein has correctly acknowledged is occurring. One of the reasons why, when the Public Interest Disclosure Act was passed in 2013, we did not include a definition of journalist was that very difficultly, which was apparent even then in 2013. Of course, we'll look, as part of the stage 2 reform process, at the matter that is dealt with in this proposed amendment, and perhaps it's going to be an ongoing discussion between the government and the member for Goldstein. I thank her for raising the matter, but it's not supported before the House at this time.

Question agreed to.

Bill agreed to.

Ordered that this bill be reported to the House without amendment.

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