On 23 July 2019, the Senate referred an inquiry into press freedom to the Environment and Communications References Committee for report by 4 December 2019.

The closing date for submissions is 30 August 2019. 

On 14 October 2019 the Senate granted an extension of time to report to 16 March 2020.

On 16 March 2020, the Committee presented a progress report recommending that the Senate grant an extension of time to report until 20 May 2020.

On 26 March 2020, the reporting date was extended from 20 May 2020 to the second sitting Wednesday of 2021.

On 9 February 2021, the reporting date was extended from 17 February 2021 to 4 March 2021.

On 26 February 2021, the Committee presented a progress report recommending that the Senate grant an extension of time to report until 28 April 2021.

On 28 April 2021, the Committee presented a progress report recommending that the Senate grant an extension of time to report until 19 May 2021.

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security recently conducted a similar inquiry into the impact of the exercise of law enforcement and intelligence powers on the freedom of the press. That committee’s final report was tabled on 26 August 2020 and can be found here.