Tom Barrass honours father who chose jail over revealing journalism source
Hawthorn star Tom Barrass honoured his father Tony, a journalist jailed for refusing to reveal a source.
Tom Barrass, a Hawthorn AFL star, spoke on Channel 7's Unfiltered about his father Tony, a crime journalist jailed for refusing to identify a source. Reporting on a major tax fraud, Tony refused a court order to reveal his source, saying it would destroy journalism's value.
Sent to maximum security prison at 28, he moved from Melbourne to Perth. He died in 2021 at 58.
Tom, now 30, said his father's principles shaped his identity.
- 30
- Tom's age now
- 28
- Tony's age in prison
- 2021, aged 58, cancer
- Tony's death
- Melbourne
- Original city
Why it mattersIt shows a rare historical case of a journalist accepting prison rather than betray a source. This reveals the stakes involved in protecting sources.
AustraliaAn Australian AFL player publicly highlighting his father's commitment to journalism ethics offers a model of professional integrity relevant to Australian newsrooms and courts.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 9 d ago
