‘Shield laws will give whistleblowers confidence’: New law protects QLD journalists and sources

New laws have been passed in parliament today that will protect Queensland journalists and their sources, bringing the state in line with the rest of the country.

Queensland shield laws are the “culmination of many years of campaigning by members of the MEAA union in the state and legally shield journalists from being required to reveal the sources in their stories. The new laws allow journalists to claim legal privilege in order to protect a confidential source.

“Without this protection, whistleblowers are more reluctant to come forward, and the public’s right to know is diminished,” explains MEAA’s acting director Michelle Rae.