Adjudication No. 167 (July 1983) [1983] APC 18

ADJUDICATION No. 167 (July 1983)

Mr Colin Hollis, MP for the Federal electorate of Macarthur, has complained to The Australian Press Council about an article in the Camden Crier of 10 November 1982.

By letter of 2 December 1982, Mr Hollis, then Labor candidate for Macarthur, says he was misrepresented.

He had issued a Press release welcoming the State Government's decision to begin work on economic planning of the Maidon-Domarton rail link and stage two of the Port Kembla coal loader.

This Press release also said: "Although disappointing that the road limit had to be lifted, given the economic climate it was a realistic decision."

The newspaper report concentrated on the lifting of the road haulage limit for the transportation of coal -- a contentious issue in the Camden area. It was under no obligation to use the Press release or to use it in the manner Mr Hollis desired.

The report simply said that Mr Hollis was disappointed that the road limit had been lifted.

The newspaper denies Mr Hollis was misquoted but says he was not fully quoted.

Mr Hollis says that after the article appeared he contacted the paper to complain, but that the editor never returned his call.

On 7 December 1982, the Press Council's executive secretary advised him that the newspaper had offered to publish a letter from him on his complaint. Mr Hollis declined this offer.

The Press Council believes the matter could have been resolved if Mr Hollis had taken advantage of the 7 December offer.

Notwithstanding this, however, the newspaper should have included the "economic climate" qualification in his Press release regarding the lifting of the load limit.

The complaint was dismissed.