Australian opposition calls for review of press freedom

CANBERRA, Australia – Australia's opposition has called for a parliamentary inquiry into press freedom after police raids on a media organization's Sydney headquarters and a journalist's Canberra home last week.

A government minister, meanwhile, is defending the nation's potent array of security laws, which have come under criticism since the raids on Australian Broadcasting Corp. in Sydney and News Corp. Australia reporter Annika Smethurst's home.

Opposition home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally on Wednesday called for a bipartisan committee to investigate whether the balance between press freedom and national security was right in legislation passed since the conservative government was first elected in 2013.

Australia's prime minister and communications minister have been meeting with editors and media executives to discuss concerns following the raids.