Adjudication No. 690 (November 1993) [1993] APC 82

ADJUDICATION No.690 (November 1993)

Sister Veronica Brady complains that an article in the 14 August 1993 edition of The West Australian describing a city march the previous day trivialised an important occasion, reported selectively in a biased way and reinforced stereotypes about Aborigines and others.

The by-lined article headlined "Music, chants mark Mabo march" described the march as a "peaceful" gathering in support of the High Court's Mabo decision and opposing WA Premier Richard Court's attitude to the decision, quoted from several speakers and described various incidents at the demonstration.

Sister Brady took particular exception to a description of a small girl telling her mother loudly that she wanted to go to the toilet, just as Sir Ronald Wilson began his speech. The next two paragraphs read:

"Sir Ronald continued: 'I desperately want to see equality'.

"As urine trickled down her legs and into her shoes, so did the little girl: 'It's too late Mummy'."

There was also a description of Stephen Hawke: "son of the former trade union boss and one-time prime minister, stood in the crowd, bearded, casually dressed, puffing on cigarettes, the only giveaway to his links with the historic dispute a folder bearing a Noonkanbah sticker poking out of the green bag slung on his shoulder."

The complainant also regarded the following sentence as being a stereotype demeaning to both Japanese tourists and Aboriginals: "Bemused Japanese tourists, attached to video cameras, stared in disbelief at two all-but naked Aboriginal dancers, as the march proceeded up Barrack Street."

Many readers, especially those like the complainant who are actively involved in debate over Mabo and related issues, would regard such references as stereotyping and trivialising an event involving a matter of important public interest.

While they were accurate descriptions of the events, some aspects of the report could be seen as in poor taste and irrelevant. However, many other readers would doubtless regard the article as a balanced description of what happened and was said, especially as it was only part of a much broader coverage of the Mabo issue in the paper that day.

Sister Brady did not volunteer a letter or comment to the paper because of what she regarded as a reluctance by the paper to print her letters -- only one of four previous letters of hers having made it to the paper.

But, shortly after the original article appeared, The West Australian printed two letters from other readers criticising the article and making much the same points as the complainant.

The complaint is dismissed.