Remarks by Ambassador Philip Green at Journalist Association of Bhutan's Tenth National Journalism Awards
03 May 2026
Good evening, Kuzu Zampola, and for me, Yuma Lundi is the word in the language of the indigenous people from around our capital, Canberra, which means - Hello and welcome. In greeting you in this way, I'm demonstrating the respect of my government to indigenous people in my country and all around the world.
It's truly a great pleasure to be here, and even more, to be in the presence of such an illustrious group, the Honorable Minister of Industry, Commerce and Employment, the Honorable Lyonpo Namgyal Dorji, whom I'm very pleased to say, is an alumnus of an Australian university, the Honorable Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Chandra Bahadur Gurung, our very respected Dasho Kinley. Kinley Dorji, my dear friend, I think, regarded as the father of Bhutanese journalism, also an alumnus of an Australian University and the respected leader of the opposition, also too an alumnus, to all of you, to the all of you in the audience, and especially the journalists and those who support journalism to keep it vibrant and successful in this more difficult time, good evening, and it's a great pleasure to be with you.
I also want to thank Mr. Rinzin Wangchuk and the Journalists Association for the invitation to celebrate World Press Freedom Day with you. Yes, Rinzin, I have your request and I will make sure that it is properly thought through and conveyed back. It's an honor to be with you for your 10th national awards. Today we are not just celebrating a profession of journalism. We’re celebrating a public good. Journalism is the heartbeat of accountability. It builds trust that safeguards the very foundations of democracy. My country, Australia, remains firmly committed to upholding press freedom and freedom of expression. In my country, that is often a struggle, but we recognize that these rights are not self-sustaining. They require constant vigilance, robust institutions and a shared commitment across society to protect the truth, particularly at this moment of global history, journalism and free press needs to be protected.
Australia and Bhutan share a warm and enduring friendship and education has always been a bridge between our two nations. A core part of the education relationship is the Australia Awards, which has brought dozens of Bhutanese to Australia to study over the year. We continue to provide these scholarships in fields prioritized by the government of Bhutan, ensuring that our partnership directly supports Bhutan's national needs. Beyond this education journey, Australia and Bhutan are bound by shared principles, respect for human dignity, a belief in informed societies and a responsibility that often goes unspoken supporting a free, fair and credible media. That's why the Australian Government supports the Journalist Association of Bhutan. Through the Australian Government's Regional Media Support fund, we are partnering with you to strengthen field reporting and build the capacity of Bhutan's journalists. That's not a project which is isolated to Bhutan. It's part of the Australian Government's broader Indo Pacific broadcasting strategy aimed at creating a more resilient, inclusive and independent media landscape right across our shared region.
At home in Australia, we have long benefited from a robust, independent and diverse media landscape. Journalism in Australia is grounded in a simple but powerful principle; the public has a right to know. However, like Bhutan, we are navigating a period of massive upheaval in the journalistic landscape. New newsroom resources are tighter, and the digital shift has revolutionized how people produce, transmit and receive information and news. Artificial Intelligence is a new frontier. It offers unimaginable tools that can enhance investigative reporting, improve fact checking and expand access to information. But it also brings a dark side of technology, deep fakes, misinformation and narrative designed to deceive. Indeed, we live in a world where fake news has become a daily part of our routine, and we must fight back against the view that we now live in a post truth society. Truth is a founding value which needs to be at the heart of all of our nations.
In this sea of vast amounts of information and rapidly evolving technology, professional journalism is our only anchor. While the role of the Citizen Journalist brings a welcome diversity of voices, it also makes the core tenets of your profession - accuracy, fairness, context and accountability, more important than ever. We also pause to recognize the safety of journalists and the need for them to be protected as they go about their business. It's less problem in this country, but in the Middle East and other conflict zones, the safety of journalists is an ever-present concern. No journalist should ever face intimidation, threats or harassment for doing their job. Protecting those who report the news is essential to protecting the news itself.
On this World Press Freedom Day, I salute the journalists of Bhutan, the journalists of Australia and those around the world over for your resilience, peace and your commitment to the truth. And congratulations to the Journalist Association of Bhutan on this landmark 10th edition of the National Journalism Awards. It's truly an honor to be with you on this auspicious night. Thank you.