ABC Journalist: Secrecy of Information Hinders Public Support

Jakarta (ANTARA) - ABC Radio journalist Hamish Macdonald believes that government secrecy regarding information can complicate policy implementation by hindering public support.

He expressed this view during the workshop “Reporting on Foreign Policy Issues in the Context of Ongoing Geopolitical Developments” in Jakarta on Tuesday (7/4).

The event was organised by the Kompas Institute in collaboration with the Australian Embassy.

Hamish stated that the Australian government is quite open on some issues but tends to be closed on others.

“There may be very valid reasons for that, but secrecy makes policy implementation more challenging,” he said.

To obtain information, he suggested that the media contact the most accessible government officials.

Such officials are considered more likely to respond when access to information is restricted.

Hamish also noted that the public now tends to trust social media more than traditional media.

According to him, this is influenced by mistakes previously made by traditional media.

“Nevertheless, if we can face these challenges and side with the audience amid an increasingly polluted information system, that becomes a way to rebuild trust,” he said.

Hamish added that traditional media has the advantage of accountability.

Traditional media, he said, can acknowledge mistakes and correct them.

In his view, transparency in that process is key to rebuilding public trust in the media.