Ladder: surveillance and subpoenas, in Oceania

A government collects journalists' communications or records, often to learn who their sources are. Methods include subpoenas (court orders to hand over records or to testify), search warrants, seizure of phones and notes, demands to telephone and internet companies, and spyware placed on reporters' devices.

The number of entries reflects the depth of this record, not the severity of a country's conduct.

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3Punish

Legal or physical action against individual journalists or sources: subpoenas and record seizures, prosecutions, arrests, detention, expulsions, visa denials, assault where a government actor is involved.

AUAustraliaRSF 2026 rank: 33rd of 180

5 June 2019Scott Morrison

Australian Federal Police spent hours searching the headquarters of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) over its 2017 "Afghan Files" reports on alleged killings by Australian special forces that breached the laws of armed conflict, seizing files under a warrant citing the Crimes Act's ban…

Reversed 15 October 2020 · 2 sources · Full entry

AUAustraliaRSF 2026 rank: 33rd of 180

15 April 2020Scott Morrison

Australia's High Court ruled that the warrant the Australian Federal Police used to raid News Corp journalist Annika Smethurst's home over a national-security leak was invalid, and weeks later the AFP said it would not lay charges against her, citing insufficient evidence.

Reversed 27 May 2020 · 2 sources · Full entry

All ladders · Surveillance and subpoenas: by country and year · The United States chapter