The Press Council promotes freedom of speech and responsible journalism. It also sets standards and responds to complaints about material in Australian newspapers and magazines, as well as a growing number of online-only publications.
The Australian Press Council (APC) welcomes the release of the Government’s final report on the review of Commonwealth Secrecy Provisions and the announcement that the Government will introduce improved press freedom protections.
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus and the Government are to be congratulated for the work that has gone into this review and their acknowledgment of the importance of a strong and independent media to our democracy and holding governments to account.
The APC looks forward to working with the Government to achieve the legislative changes necessary to implement these improved press freedom protections.
The Australian Press Council (APC) is calling for nominations for its Press Freedom Award (formerly the Press Freedom Medal) for an individual, or individuals, who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment or service to the cause of press freedom.
Nominees can be journalists, editors, or others such as members of the legal profession, educators, or whistle-blowers whose work has supported press freedom or cast light upon important issues in Australian society. Nominations may be made by members of the public, any member of the Council and its Secretariat, or from any publication that is a member of the Press Council.
"Advocating for freedom of the press is an important responsibility of the Press Council," said APC Chair Neville Stevens. “The Press Freedom Award honours those courageous individuals who pursue this freedom, often at great personal risk.”
Nominations for the 2023 Press Freedom Award open today, Thursday 12 October 2023 and should be submitted by Wednesday 1 November 2023, together with reasons why the individual(s) should be considered for the award. They can be supplied as Word documents, PDFs, or within the body of an email. Nominations should be no longer than 250 words.
Please email nominations to media@presscouncil.org.au.
For those without access to email, they can be sent by post to:
Australian Press Council
PO Box 1014
North Sydney NSW 2059.
Please supply a contact phone number with your submission.
At the close of the nomination period, a shortlist will be compiled from which the winner(s) will be selected. In selecting nominees for the award, the Press Council will be guided by its Constitutional aims to promote freedom of speech through responsible and independent print and digital media, and high journalistic and editorial standards.
If you have any questions about the Press Freedom Award or need guidance on how to nominate someone, please email info@presscouncil.org.au with the subject line: Press Freedom Award.
The Australian Press Council congratulates the following Press Council members for honours achieved at the 2023 Mumbrella Publish Awards:
Read more about all the award winners here
The Australian Press Council congratulates its Small Publisher Members Representative Erik Jensen on the selection of his portrait by Angela Brennan as a finalist in this year’s Archibald Prize.
See Brennan's Archibald Prize portrait of Jensen here.
Complaint outcomes are called Adjudications. You can search published Adjudications here.