Australia marks World Press Freedom Day 2026
30 April 2026
Last night, Australian Ambassador to Thailand Dr Angela Macdonald PSM hosted a reception in Bangkok for Thai and international media, along with representatives from the Thai government, civil society and diplomatic corps ahead of World Press Freedom Day this Sunday 3 May.
Ambassador Macdonald said, “World Press Freedom Day is a timely reminder of the essential role of a free press in society. Timely, accurate and independent reporting has never been more important. Pursuing the truth has come at a high cost, as journalists remain incarcerated globally, and some have sadly lost their lives in the line of duty”.
Macquarie University Professor of Journalism Peter Greste was the guest of honour, and spoke about when he was imprisoned in Egypt for 400 days. He also highlighted the changing media environment that journalists and the public now face.
Professor Greste said, “Over the past 25 years, journalists have faced a perfect storm of economic, technological, political and security threats. But in a world awash with mis and disinformation and propaganda, we have never needed the work of good, ethical reporters more. Journalists have to work hard to recover public trust, but countries globally also need to do more to protect press freedom. That’s what May 3 is all about.”
Earlier this week, the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT) hosted a panel discussion on media freedom and threats to journalism. Professor Greste joined FCCT President Mr Panu Wongcha-um, and Australian Broadcasting Corporation Asia Editor Ms Karishma Vyas to discuss the importance of press solidarity, approaches to current challenges faced by the industry and journalist safety.
The Australian Government supports freedom of expression and press freedom as cornerstones of resilient, open societies. We are committed to transparency, openness and authenticity through strong media engagement, transparent decision-making, and access to information.
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