Fairfax Media has labelled the charging of three Age journalists as another attack on press freedom in Australia.



The three - Royce Millar, Nick McKenzie and Ben Schneiders - have been charged with unauthorised access to restricted data and are to appear before the Melbourne Magistrates Court in May.



Fairfax Media understands a fourth person, former Melbourne city councillor Fraser Brindley, faces a similar charge.



The charges relate to a story published in November 2010. It reported the Victorian ALP had a database that held personal information about voters without their permission. The story revealed how the database included details of people's health and finances, and personal or political beliefs.



The original story included comments from the then president of Liberty Victoria, Michael Pearce, SC, who said the ability of political parties to collect such information under an exemption in the Privacy Act highlighted the inadequacies of privacy laws.



The reporters were given access to the database by someone who was concerned that inappropriate material was held on it. They were given the username and password, andunderstood the source wasauthorised to access the database.



After the story was published, Victoria Police began an investigation into whether the manner in which the database was searched breached laws that prohibit the unauthorised access of a computer system.



Fairfax chief executive Greg Hywood said on Friday: "In the past 12 months we have seen increasing assaults on the freedom of the press. We all presumed our society allows and encourages tough questions to be asked because it wants to know the truth.



"But events of the past year have given many cause to wonder whether Australia does indeed value a free press in a tolerant and robust society.



"This is just the latest in a series of attacks on the ability of the Australian media to ask questions on behalf of the public. Too many of Australia's leading journalists are facing demands from various courts to provide information related to confidential sources used in their stories. What they really stand accused of is pushing too hard to know the truth.



"Fairfax Media will support and defend its journalists to do their jobs and to ask questions about how our society operates and functions."



The November 2010 story reported that the database was used by the ALP to tailor its telephoning and doorknocking of individual voters in key marginal electorates. The Coalition has a database capable of similar profiling of voters but has refused to comment or to divulge any details.



The system allows searches based variously on people's names, addresses and stance on issues such as gay rights and the environment. It also enables mapping of campaign street walks, giving candidates and volunteers access to profiles on many of the people they doorknock or phone, including their voting intentions.



In a 2008 report, the Australian Law Reform Commission said it was not convinced that data collection by parties should be exempted from privacy laws.