In a first for Australia and the Pacific, Queensland University has won the right to host the World Press Freedom Day conference on 3 May 2010. UQ's conference will focus on freedom of expression issues in the Asia-Pacific region under the headline theme, 'Freedom of Information: The Right to Know'.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Greenfield said UQ was proud to support UNESCO's efforts to uphold and engender public accountability and media freedom. "UNESCO is the only UN agency with a mandate to defend media freedom, and too often it has cause to condemn the deliberate killing of a journalist or journalists," Professor Greenfield said.

Planning for the event is underway, with PNG ATTITUDE contributor Associate Professor Martin Hadlow putting together an organising committee, including senior media industry representatives. UQ celebrates its centenary in 2010 and its journalism school is Australia's oldest.