Loading Senator Patrick said the outlet over which the government had little control was the media. "It's an attempt to shut down that third arm," he said. "They have control over freedom of information [laws], they are not conducting themselves well in the whistleblower space; perhaps the one they have the least control over is the third space where people go if they have lost complete confidence – the media. "The message [to whistleblowers] is if you go to the media you will be caught," he said. The South Australian senator, who could hold the balance of power with his colleague Stirling Griff when Parliament resumes in July, said he would push the government to apply uniform protections for journalists across its legislation.

Metadata laws passed in 2017 contained an exemption for journalists that meant if police wanted to access location and digital information transmitted by a journalist's phone, they would have to apply to the Attorney-General for a special warrant. The Attorney-General would then have to consult a public interest advocate. Tuesday's raid at Smethurst's home over a story that revealed plans to allow government spying on Australians and Wednesday's raid at the ABC over a story detailing allegations of war crimes were signed off by only a registrar. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video "They have bypassed the process, taken a pathway of least resistance and gone directly to the premises," Senator Patrick said. "Once the Parliament accepted that a protection was required in respect of metadata, then they have accepted the principle that you need to protect sources and journalists.

"We should move that protection across to any investigation of journalists in the conduct of their role." Senator Patrick will also move a bill that would enshrine the freedom of the press in the constitution. If it passed both houses it would trigger a referendum and require all existing laws to be re-interpreted. "One thing is for sure," he said. "As a result of this week, change is required." Independent MP Andrew Wilkie said on Friday that it was harder for whistleblowers to go public now than when he revealed his concerns about the Iraq War in 2003. Loading

Mr Wilkie, a former intelligence analyst, told The Australian Financial Review he was aware he was breaching the Crimes Act when he raised his concerns with then Nine News political editor Laurie Oakes. "It's interesting that back then government didn't pursue that, whereas the government now seems more prepared to do so," he said. Key Australian whistleblowers Witness K: The former Australian Secret Intelligence Service officer revealed in 2004 that the agency had planted hundreds of listening devices inside East Timor's cabinet offices. Andrew Wilkie: The former intelligence analyst at the Office of National Assessments resigned before going public with his concerns over the Iraq War, including a lack of evidence that Iraq had developed a substantial nuclear weapons program.