The Federal Opposition has labelled a decision not to investigate the leaking of information about the so-called medevac bill as "breathtaking" in light of recent raids on media outlets.

Key points: The AFP said the leaking of information about the medevac bill was not investigated due to limited identification chances

The AFP said the leaking of information about the medevac bill was not investigated due to limited identification chances The leak said the original medevac legislation would undermine Australia's regional processing system

The leak said the original medevac legislation would undermine Australia's regional processing system Kristina Keneally has questioned the decision considering AFP raids on the ABC and a News Corporation journalist this week

The Department of Home Affairs asked Australian Federal Police to investigate in February after a classified briefing, drawing partly on ASIO advice, was published in The Australian newspaper.

It said the original version of the medevac legislation, which the Government had opposed, would undermine Australia's regional processing system by making it easier for asylum seekers to be transferred to Australia for medical treatment.

Four months on from the Department's referral, the AFP released a statement saying the matter was assessed but not accepted for investigation "due to the limited prospects of identifying a suspect".

"The AFP considers this matter finalised," it said.

Kristina Keneally said the raids were meant to have a "political impact". ( AAP: Dan Himbrechts )

Shadow Home Affairs Minister Kristina Keneally said it was an extraordinary move considering AFP officers recently raided the Sydney headquarters of the ABC and the home of a senior News Corp political reporter.

"The leak of this information during the parliamentary debate of the medevac legislation was clearly designed to have a political impact.

"And the leak of the information clearly benefited the position that the Liberal National government was taking," Senator Keneally said.

"Why do some leaks, those leaks that embarrass the Government merit investigation and extraordinary raids on media outlets and journalists, and the leak of information that benefits the Government, somehow does not?"

The medevac legislation was later amended and passed through Parliament after the Government lost an historic vote in the House of Representatives.

Both the Department and the Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton have been contacted for comment.



Labor defends position despite demanding leak investigation

The raids on the ABC and the home of News Corp journalist Annika Smethurst have attracted widespread criticism from media outlets, with accusations they amount to an attack on press freedom.

The AFP spent hours inside the ABC's Sydney office on Wednesday searching for material relating to a series of stories in 2017 stories known as the Afghan Files, which revealed allegations of unlawful killings and misconduct by Australian special forces in Afghanistan.

Officers spent a similar amount of time in Smethurst's home over a story she had written more than a year ago, detailing purported secret Government considerations to give agencies greater powers to spy on Australians.

After that story was published, Shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus wrote to then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull demanding the leak be investigated.

"I am sure I do not need to emphasise with you the gravity of such a security breach. The documents described in the media appear to be extremely sensitive and divulge information about one of Australia's key security agencies," he said in a letter at the time.

Senator Keneally rejected suggestions the demand made Labor's criticism of the raid hypocritical.

"It is not a question of whether or not leaks should be investigated. It is a question about how the Government is managing that," Senator Keneally said.

Mr Dreyfus also released a statement defending his correspondence.

"I have never disputed that this leak was of a very serious nature, nor that it should have been looked into. My concern has entirely centred around the raiding of a journalists' home and the Government's abdication of its responsibility to uphold the principle of press freedom," he said.

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The AFP this week rejected claims they were aimed at intimidating journalists but said no one was above the law.

Speaking in Singapore on Friday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he understood the raids had caused anxiety but argued they needed to be kept "in perspective".

"[Australians] believe strongly in press freedoms — as do I — but they also believe no one's bigger than the law. I'm not, you're not, no one is," Mr Morrison said.

"If there are deficiencies in that process, then the Government always looks at these things. But at this stage I think it's a little early to be making those sorts of judgements."