National Indigenous Times raided
Yesterday’s news that the government has plans to introduce the concept of mutual obligation in its delivery of money and services to indigenous communities came via the leak of government documents to an indigenous newspaper. The headlines were followed by a Federal Police raid on the offices of the National Indigenous Times. Editor Chris Graham described the raid as the most shocking event in his journalistic career but said it won’t prevent him from releasing more material which may embarass the government over its approach to indigenous affairs. Chris Warren from the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance says the raid is a disturbing attack by the government on free speech and cannot be justified on the grounds of the leak being threat to national security which is the usual rationale when the Federal police seize documents.