Below is a media statement issued today by Croakey Health Media. We encourage readers to share it with your networks, and to also consider sending it to political candidates and MPs.
If you are able to support the #CroakeyFundingDrive, that would also be much appreciated! We encourage organisations to consider engaging the Croakey Conference News Service and Croakey Professional Services.
Also, please check our 2024 Impact Report.
Next Australian Government must do much more to support independent media
Media Release, 1 May 2025
The next Australian Government must do much more to support independent media as part of efforts to address the scourge of misinformation and disinformation that is undermining community cohesion and the opportunity for evidence-informed policy and public debate.
Directors and members of independent media publisher Croakey Health Media today said the Albanese Government’s record on supporting independent media had been disappointing.
Many independent media organisations, including Croakey Health Media, were judged ineligible for assistance under the Government’s News and Media Relief Fund Program, which recently announced grants to many local publishers.
This was despite the Government having promised that grants under this program would be “available to eligible regional, independent, suburban, multicultural and First Nations news publishers creating online news content”.
“Croakey’s exclusion from this program is devastating at a time when our future is precarious due to the difficulty of attracting funding to support public interest journalism and independent media,” said Co-Chairs of Croakey Health Media, Professor Bronwyn Fredericks and James Blackwell.
The federal election timing is significant as 3 May also marks World Press Freedom Day. Editor in Chief Dr Melissa Sweet said press freedom was more important than ever, in an era of growing authoritarianism, but requires a policy framework that supports the sustainability of independent media and public media like ABC, SBS and NITV.
“It defies belief that the Government will invest millions of taxpayers’ dollars in advertising on platforms like Google and Meta but will not consider supporting independent publishers like Croakey through advertising or other measures,” Sweet said.
Croakey Health Media directors and members expressed warm appreciation to the Local and Independent News Association (LINA) for its advocacy on behalf of members, especially around the News and Media Relief Fund Program.
LINA is currently backing a week-long fund raising campaign for 50 members, including Croakey Health Media.
Professor Megan Williams, a director of Croakey Health Media, said: “The exclusion of Croakey from the News and Media Relief Fund Program is especially disappointing given the importance of independent media committed to putting a focus on health equity, and providing a platform for the voices and expertise of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.”
Alison Verhoeven, a director of Croakey Health Media, said: “The toxic tide of misinformation and disinformation is a massive public health concern, as we are seeing right around the world. Supporting independent media with a commitment to evidence-informed coverage is more important than ever for healthy communities and informed policy and public debate.”
Professor Rebecca Ivers, a director of Croakey Health Media, urged the health sector and wider civil society to step up in advocating for media policy that better supports the rights of communities to reliable, relevant and safe news and information systems.
“Our capacity to address many important public health issues – from the climate crisis to the mental health and wellbeing of young people – is being undermined by toxic news and information environments,” Ivers said.
“We urge Croakey supporters, readers and contributors to write to their MPs, highlighting the importance of independent media for informed communities, and for tackling misinformation and disinformation,” Ivers said.
Croakey Health Media director Jade Bradford said a strong independent media sector was essential for upholding the rights of First Nations Peoples and other communities, and maintaining a safe and reliable news environment.
“We need a strong public interest journalism sector to be part of the solution to addressing misinformation and disinformation, which can be so harmful, as we saw during the Voice referendum,” Bradford said.
Croakey Health Media member Larissa Andrews said that reliable and trustworthy public interest journalism is critical in challenging false narratives that are rampant across many media platforms.
“Independent media enables diverse perspectives to be heard, reflecting our diverse communities, helping to break the echo chambers and promote critical thinking, which is vital for a well-informed and resilient society,” she said. “It’s incredibly disheartening to see highly valued independent news media like Croakey struggling to survive in the current funding environment.”
• For inquiries, please contact info@croakey.org
Details about how to support Croakey Health Media are here.
See Croakey’s policy submissions on media-related issues
