Law Council of Australia president Pauline Wright has expressed concerns about the vulnerability of public interest journalism, while applauding the AFP's decision not to bring charges against journalist Annika Smethurst.

"The law continues to leave journalists and media organisations exposed to possible police investigation and prosecution," she says.

"The Law Council firmly believes that journalists should not be exposed to law enforcement investigations and potential criminal liability, simply for doing their jobs. However, the execution of search warrants against Ms Smethurst and other members of the Australian media, and the exposure of those people to protracted investigative processes, has shone a spotlight on the extent to which the powers of law enforcement and intelligence agencies can encroach on the right to freedom of expression, as espoused through a free, independent and robust press".

In a statement today, she says the Law Council remains concerned that Australian secrecy laws, particularly those conferring powers on law enforcement and intelligence agencies, do not contain adequate safeguards for journalists to report on matters of importance to the Australian public, and may go further than is reasonable and necessary to protect legitimate national security interests.

Having participated in the current Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security inquiry, she says the Council looks forward to the report and the opportunity to carefully reconsider "the ways in which secrecy legislation and related provisions can operate to keep Australians safe while also protecting and respecting the role of a free press".