Labor's Anthony Albanese has pledged to support whatever legislation necessary to protect press freedoms following the Australian Federal Police raids on the ABC and a News Corp journalist.

Delivering his first speech as Opposition Leader to the Press Gallery's Midwinter Ball Mr Albanese signalled a departure from the bipartisan approach adopted until now by the opposition when it comes to the media and the reporting of national security issues.

David Crowe, chief political correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, with Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese and Labor's foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

"Journalism is not a crime and should be never be treated as such," Mr Albanese said to applause.

"It's something we simply can't be complacent about so we need to cherish it, we need to nurture it, and we need to support whatever legislative change is required to ensure that press freedom remains a central component of our democratic system," he said.