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 what he was doing was inconsistent with the ADF Instructions on handling classified information.

86․ Mr McBride and Mr Clark subsequently met at a café in Manuka in the ACT to discuss the complaint and the documents. During this meeting, Mr Clark expressed interest in publishing a story based on the material that he had been given. Mr Clark asked Mr McBride whether he was prepared for the repercussions of publishing a story based on the material, including whether he was prepared to go to jail. Mr McBride responded by saying words to the effect of, "Look, I don't really want to go to jail, obviously, but I'm prepared to be named if you need to".

87․ As with Mr Masters, the documents provided by Mr McBride to Mr Clark contained a significant amount of "military information" within the meaning of s 73A of the Defence Act. Mr McBride did not have authority or permission to provide the documents to Mr Clark. He was aware that ADF Instructions, having the force of law, prohibited the provision of the documents to Mr Clark. It is this disclosure to Mr Clark which, along with the earlier disclosure to Mr Masters, constitutes count 2.

88․ Mr Clark did not publish any of the material provided by Mr McBride. In 2015, Mr Clark told Mr McBride that he had destroyed the documents that had been provided to him and thereafter ceased contacting him.

Mr McBride's awareness of the PID Act scheme

89․ Mr McBride was aware of the PID Act scheme. He made reference to it in his IGADF Submission and, on 2 April 2015, he made use of it in relation to a recruitment matter unrelated to these proceedings. Following correspondence in April 2015, that complaint did not proceed further under the PID Act.

The Ops Room

90․ On or about 4 April 2016 (that is, approximately eight months after he was told of the outcome of the IGADF inquiry and several months after he had read the report), Mr McBride created a website called "The Ops Room". It was publicly accessible at www.THEOPSROOM.com. This will be referred to as "the Website". Between April and May 2016, Mr McBride wrote and posted a number of blog posts on the Website which detailed his concerns about how the ADF was managed. Some of the facts contained in some of the blog posts came to Mr McBride's knowledge or into his possession by virtue