Privacy, Truth and the Public Interest | Elizabeth Burns Coleman and Caron Eastgate Dann

Summary: The News of the World hacking scandal has re-ignited debates over the need for privacy law in Australia. Journalists have always pushed the boundaries of legality in order to obtain information. However, there is a difference between morality and legality. In this paper we explore the value of privacy and whether it can be reconciled with ‘freedom of expression’ and the ‘public’s right to know’. We will argue that it can with a clear understanding of the nature of the public interest. Accordingly, invasions of privacy can be morally justified in circumstances when it meets this interest.