Privacy and the right to know

David Salter in The Australian writes about the media and its failings, particularly what he regards as the self interest behind the Australia's Right to Know initiative. While the coalition can speak for itself, he's a bit wide of the mark in asserting that it has been "conspicuously silent on a balancing right to privacy".

The Independent Audit Report State of free speech in Australia (Chapter 9) discusses privacy and defamation. It states that in some circumstances the right to know must yield to the right to privacy. Where the line should be drawn is an issue of current public debate, spurred by the Australian Law Reform Commission review of Australia's privacy laws.