The AJF promotes media freedom and the right of journalists to report the news in freedom and safety.
This includes working with Australian governments to ensure legislation supports media freedom, and campaigning in the Asia–Pacific region, wherever journalists are censored, threatened, imprisoned or killed.
The AJF was conceived of by three people: lawyer Chris Flynn, journalist Peter Greste, and strategic communications consultant Peter Wilkinson (also a former journalist). Flynn and Wilkinson worked with the Greste family to free Peter from his 400-day incarceration in Egypt. Subsequently, the three recognised the ongoing threats to the freedom of journalists, the media more broadly and the public’s right to know across the Asia–Pacific region.
The AJF is incorporated as a public not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. The AJF was granted Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status as part of the Federal Budget 2020.
Its structure includes a Board. Members have diverse senior skills and expertise, and are united by their commitment to journalists’ freedom and safety, and the public’s right to know.
The CEO is responsible for implementing the strategies set by the Board.
The AJF is funded by donations from business and philanthropists on the expressed understanding that the funding is independent of the AJF’s activities. Funding is not sought or received from governments.