Melbourne councillor and 3 journalists admit hacking electoral database
A former councilor from the City of Melbourne and three journalists have admitted to charges of hacking an Australian Labor Party electorate database ahead of the 2010 Victorian state election.
Former councillor Fraser Brindley
However the three journalists, Royce Millar, Nick McKenzie and Ben Schneiders have been permitted by Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday to avoid formally pleading guilty to permit them to work abroad. The trio admitted gaining unauthorised access to restricted information on the database.
The three, and former Melbourne City councillor Fraser Brindley have been placed in the court's diversion program for first-time offenders.
The Age Newspaper, which published reports following the data breaches, has been ordered to publish a report on the events.