Adjudication No. 310 (November 1986) [1986] APC 46

ADJUDICATION No. 310 (November 1986)

The President of the Anti-Discrimination Board complains of certain passages in an article by Des Keegan which appeared in the financial pages of The Australian of September 9, 1986 on the ground that it breaches this Council's Statement of Principles by disparaging and belittling groups

in the community by reference to race, religion or country of origin. The article was headed "Immigration policies a cancer on our society" and amongst other things criticised Asian and Middle Eastern immigration.

In reply to the complaint the editor-in-chief of The Australian has pointed out that the paper publishes a variety of views on immigration. The paper's own policy is in favour of immigration, including Asian immigration and two of its regular columnists express similar views. In publishing the contrary views of a third columnist, Mr Keegan, who supports European immigration, the paper gives its readers access to a variety of views so that they can make up their own minds.

These are commendable sentiments, but they do not meet the complaint, which is not directed at Mr Keegan's support for European immigration and opposition to Asian immigration, but at particular statements in the article which in a highly emotive and unfair way disparage people of particular religious and ethnic backgrounds. It is sufficient to note one particularly objectionable example. Referring to the English as a Second Language Program, the column states:

Its clients routinely slaughter goat kids facing Mecca in living rooms in suburban Lakemba. How was Gallipoli looking down to Sulva Bay?

The Press Council agrees that such language breaches the part of the Council's Statement of Principles referred to above.