Adjudication No. 612 (January 1993) [1993] APC 4

ADJUDICATION No. 612 (January 1993)

The Australian Press Council has dismissed a complaint by Mr Keith McLean against the Herald-Sun, Melbourne, over the editing of a letter submitted to the editor for publication on the issue of fluoridation.

The Council believes that newspapers have the right to edit letters for length, clarity or fairness or to avoid possible defamation, provided that the editing does not distort or misrepresent the intentions of the author. Many newspapers, including the Herald-Sun, limit the length of letters and advise their readers, on the Letters Page, that letters may be edited.

In this case, Mr McLean submitted a letter in response to a front-page report headed "Our water a 'dam good drop'". The report quoted a Melbourne Water spokesman as saying that Melbourne's water was as good as any in the world and that there were plans to bottle it and export it.

The newspaper published three letters attacking Melbourne Water, including a heavily edited version of Mr McLean's comments to the effect that the water was heavily contaminated with chemicals. The published version did not include all the points Mr McLean sought to make, particularly on the issue of possible excess fluoride intake by children.

However, the Pzress Council does not agree that the editing amounted to the suppression or distortion of Mr McLean's views.