Adjudication No. 491 (May 1991) [1991] APC 26

ADJUDICATION No. 491 (May 1991)

The Australian Press Council has upheld a complaint from Leon Grabowski over the publication of an article by Lech Paszkowski in the Polish Weekly, published in Melbourne.

The article was a reply to a review by Mr Grabowski of Mr Paszkowski's book "Poles in Australia and Oceania". The review was critical and said that the book, a bold and ambitious work, the result of decades of research, was marred by a number of inaccuracies, errors and historically unjustified deductions.

In introducing Mr Paszkowski's reply, the Polish Weekly stated it had never heard anything about Mr Grabowski's historical, scientific or journalistic works over the past 40 years.

The newspaper argued that, while constructive criticism was welcome, criticism "which is undermining the trust in a great, valuable work is not deserving a prize".

The paper did not publish the Grabowski review, which originally appeared in the Journal of the Historical Society of South Australia and was later reprinted in the Polish News, published in Sydney. Nor did the Melbourne paper make any attempt to give Mr Grabowski a public forum.

The paper's comments on Mr Grabowski were brusque and personal.

Mr Grabowski sought to have a rejoinder published, arguing the various points raised in the original review. It was a lengthy rejoinder, and the editor refused to publish this, saying it did not introduce anything particularly new.

It is not for the Press Council to attempt to rule on history. It does say that Mr Grabowski was not treated fairly by the Polish Weekly.