Adjudication No. 410 (July 1989) [1989] APC 23

ADJUDICATION No. 410 (July 1989)

Mr R Andrews complains to the Press Council that the Northern Star has maligned local duck hunters by allowing attacks by contributors allied to animal liberationists, a cartoonist and an editorial writer. He says it refused consultation and also refused to allow a balanced view by failing to publish pro-hunting letters.

The facts concerning the submission of letters to the editor, and attempts to have discussions with him, are in dispute, which the Press Council is unable to resolve. The editor's policy of not censoring except for legal reasons is, however, a generally accepted one. He claims the one letter which he agrees he received was rejected for a legitimate reason.

The editorial and the cartoon complained of both fall within acceptable limits of newspaper comment.

The complaint is dismissed.