Far be it from Crikey, or any media outlet, to offer any advice to the AFP about tracking down a leak. But a well-informed tipster suggests one approach that we understand has been used successfully before and requires no one to trawl through anyone’s metadata. Statuary declarations are legally binding documents. Knowingly providing false information or causing false information to be placed on a stat dec is a criminal offence and could result in a possible four-year prison sentence. If a member of Parliament does that, he or she forfeits the right to hold the office of MP. So what if Malcolm Turnbull asked all current and former members of the National Security Committee and their staff to sign a stat dec stating that they did not provide or cause to be provided any information on the current defence white paper to a media outlet? Might be interesting to see who declines to do so …

*Heard anything that might interest Crikey? Send your tips to boss@crikey.com.au or use our guaranteed anonymous form