Annual Address

The Address, which was inaugurated in 2002, is given annually by a prominent person on a topic related to the freedom or the responsibility of the press. In its first two years, the Address has been delivered as an evening speech, been held in Sydney and been free and open to the public. In future, it is likely that the Address will be delivered as a part of a Council lunch, open to the public. Information on future Annual Addresses will appear on this site.

The Annual Address is delivered as a part of the Council's public activities aimed at promoting discussion of matters related to the freedom and the responsibility of the Australian press. Through extensive publicity, and opening the Address to the media, the contents of the Address are placed in the public arena through reports of, and comments on, the Address.

The Australian Press Council Annual Address 2007

The 2007 Address was delivered by Fairfax Publications CEO David Kirk at a media lunch on Thursday 10 May 2007. Mr Kirk's speech addressed some of the contemporary issues for the press, especially those arising from convergence, the digital media and threats to press freedom. The Address has now been posted to the website.

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Previous Annual Addresses

The Australian Press Council Annual Address 2006

The 2006 Address was delivered by Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty at a media lunch on Thursday 23 March 2006. Commissioner Keelty's speech, Between the lines: New powers and accountability for police and the media, addressed some of the contemporary issues for the police and for the press. A response to the Address by Council Chairman, Professor Ken McKinnon has been published in the APC News and posted to this website.

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2005 Annual Address

The 2005 Address was delivered by columnist (and lawyer) Richard Ackland at a media lunch on Thursday 31 March 2005. Mr Ackland addressed his view of the interaction between the media and the law.

Justice Ron Sackville, the Chairman of the Judicial Conference of Australia, responded to the Address and led the question/discussion period that followed.

Titled Much Ado About Nothing - the True State of the Judicature, the Address looked at judiciary and the way it was reacting to media criticism. It has been posted to the website.

Justice Sackville's response The Judiciary and the Media: A Clash of Cultures is also posted to this website.

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2003 Annual Address

John Hartigan, CEO of News Limited, delivered the 2003 Annual Address at the State Library on Wednesday 3 December 2003.

His topic: Current threats to press freedom.

Mr Hartigan looked at some of the threats and challenges facing the media in the 21st century, talking of what he saw as fundamental and non-negotiable. He noted the Council's Charter for a Free Press, arguing that not even the legislators or tort-making judges who constantly seek to erode press freedoms by the erection of ever-growing barriers to reporting and the free flow of information come out and say up-front that they want to hobble the media. In particular, he argued for urgent reform of defamation laws and for government's better to honour freedom of the press law, without use of 'conclusive certificates' or the impost of undue costs.

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2002 Annual Address

The Hon Jim Spigelman, Chief Justice of NSW, delivered the 2003 Annual Address in the Banco Court of the NSW Supreme Court on 20 November 2002 .

His topic: The foundations of a free press in Australia.

Before an audience of about 150, the Chief Justice's address concerned events, mainly in Sydney in the 1820s that set the scene for the clashes over the succeeding two centuries between government and the press, over its responsibility and between the executive and the judiciary over the press's freedom.

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