News Corp reporter raided by AFP wins search warrant court battle

The High Court has found a warrant used by federal police to raid a journalist's home was invalid and ordered that it be quashed.

News Corp reporter Annika Smethurst had her Canberra apartment raided in 2019 over stories she wrote revealing secret plans to expand the government's spying powers.

The full bench of the High Court today unanimously found there was not enough precision in the drafting of the warrant.

However, only two judges ordered that material seized during the search be destroyed, meaning it could still be used by police.

The High Court judgment detailed how officers transferred digital information from Smethurst's phone.

"The AFP copied data from Ms Smethurst's mobile phone onto the AFP's laptop," the judgment stated.

"Documents that were identified as falling within the terms of the warrant were copied onto a USB stick belonging to the AFP.

"The material was then deleted from the laptop, Ms Smethurst's phone was returned to her and the USB stick was taken from the premises."

The court did not consider whether the Australian Federal Police raid infringed on implied freedom of political communication.

The AFP has been ordered to pay court costs.

With AAP