Adjudication No. 856 (May 1996) [1996] APC 30

ADJUDICATION No. 856 (May 1996)

The Press Council has dismissed three complaints from Peter Bosanquet about reporting in the Cairns Post.

The first concerns a report on 18 January 1996 that more than 500 people had attended a protest meeting about the proposed location of a power line. Mr Bosanquet, who chairs the Edmonton Power Opposition Group (EPOG), says the official roll call recorded 605 present and others refused to sign for fear of possible repercussions. The editor replies that reporters from the newspaper, commercial television and the ABC decided to count the crowd, instead of relying on the organiser's estimate. They agreed there were 500 present. The Post's reporter says this was an upper limit. The Press Council is not persuaded that the newspaper acted unfairly in its reporting of the number at the meeting.

The second complaint essentially arises from the same article. Cairns Mayor Pyne was reported as saying that Mr Bosanquet had opposed him in the previous election over the power line and that he was "soundly beaten". Mr Bosanquet points out he received 5000 votes to the Mayor's 18,000. But the reference to the complainant being soundly beaten is a quote from the Mayor. The Press Council does not believe that the reporting of the Mayor's words was unreasonable.

Mr Bosanquet's third complaint relates to the publication of a letter on 22 January 1996 from Brett Haymes, who comes from the rival Southside Powerlines Action Group. He accused the EPOG of intimidatory tactics. A letter in reply was not published. The editor says that Mr Bosanquet's views have been well documented in the Cairns Post over a number of years.

In a continuing political debate, it would be unreasonable for one side to be entitled to reply every time a point is made by opponents. The test is whether, over time, each side is being treated fairly. From the newspaper reports submitted to the Press Council and the expectation that his (and EPOG's) views will continue to be reported when newsworthy, the Council is not persuaded that Mr Bosanquet has been treated unfairly.