Posted March 24, 2017 09:46:22

Photo: Terrorism is a risk rather than a threat and media coverage should reflect that, an academic urges. (AP: Stefan Rousseau)

The media is doing terrorists' work for them with its coverage and choice of language in the aftermath of attacks, an Adelaide academic has warned.

Five people died and dozens were injured, including Adelaide Hills woman Trish Neis-Beer, in a terrorist attack at London's Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament yesterday.

In the aftermath of the attack, Adelaide University associate lecturer David Olney warned a significant threat posed by terrorism was the western world's response.

"Terrorists cannot end democratic governance in the western world, not unless we let them," he said.

"The threat to democracy is our response to terrorism.

"Only we can surrender our hard-won freedoms, only we can surrender our institutions."

Mr Olney said language used in the reporting of attacks played a pivotal role in how they were perceived by the public.

Photo: South Australian resident Trish Neis-Beer was injured in the London terror attack. (Facebook: Trish Neis-Beer)

"As long as there are headlines saying [terrorists] pose a direct threat to democracy we're doing the terrorists' work for them," he said.

"We should start avoiding using language like 'terrorism is a threat to democracy'."

Mr Olney said focusing on a perception of threat could fuel public fear.

"I think we need to start talking about terrorism as risks … rather than threats," he said.

"Something that is a threat suggests it's already gone through the risk stage and we didn't catch it and it's now too dangerous.

"Terrorism is a risk, not a threat."

An Australian National University poll about attitudes to national security suggested nearly half of Australians believed terrorism was a genuine threat.

It found 45 per cent of respondents were somewhat or very concerned about the prospect of themselves or a family member being a victim of a terrorist attack in Australia.

The Government "could be doing more" to prevent such an attack, 56 per cent of the poll respondents said.

Over the past two decades terrorism has resulted in the deaths of three people in Australia.

Mr Olney said more could be done to dispel myths and misunderstandings when there were terror attacks, such as not talking up unsubstantiated links to religion.

"It's the old 'knowledge is power' argument. The more knowledge you can provide that takes the mystery out of terrorism, [the more it becomes] comprehensible," he said.

"The developing world is suffering far worse than the west and the Muslim world is suffering more than anybody."

Topics: media, terrorism, unrest-conflict-and-war, adelaide-5000, sa, australia, england, united-kingdom