The raid comes one day after the AFP executed search warrants at the home of News Corp journalist Annika Smethurst, who had reported on secret plans to allow government spying.
The AFP released a statement saying no arrests were planned today and the warrant was “not linked to a search warrant executed in Canberra yesterday”.
The search warrant was “in relation to allegations of publishing classified material, contrary to provisions of the Crimes Act 1914” and “relates to a referral received on 11 July 2017 by the Chief of the Defence Force and the then-Acting Secretary for Defence” the statement said.
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Police raided the offices of Australia’s national broadcaster on Wednesday over allegations it had published classified material, the second raid on a media outlet in two days, prompting complaints that the “outrageous” raids hindered media freedom.
The Rupert Murdoch-controlled company said it had “the most serious concerns about the willingness of governments to undermine the Australian public’s right to know about important decisions governments are making”.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison was reported as saying he believed in media freedom but that there were also clear rules about the use of classified information.