Adjudication No. 933 (July 1997) [1997] APC 34

ADJUDICATION No. 933 (July 1997)

The Australian Press Council has dismissed a complaint against the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader newspaper by Colin Taylor and the Friends of Wolli Creek over coverage of local controversy about plans for construction of the M5 East Motorway.

Mr Taylor, on behalf of the Friends of Wolli Creek group, complained that the newspaper did not give him the opportunity to respond in detail to six letters to the editor published in response to a letter from him.

Mr Taylor said the six letters were factually incorrect and technically/scientifically inaccurate. He complained that the newspaper should have been aware of this and should have edited the six letters accordingly.

Mr Taylor complained that the Leader's coverage of the issue was generally biased against the Friends of Wolli Creek's position. The Press Council could find no evidence of this. The Leader's news coverage of the controversy appeared to be factual and objective.

The Press Council dismissed the complaint about the six letters criticising Mr Taylor's position because the letters to the editor section is a forum for readers' opinions. Mr Taylor was one of two letter writers representing the Friends of Wolli Creek's position, and the Press Council believes there was a fair representation of the Friends' views.

To have given Mr Taylor the right of reply to all letters critical of him would have weighted the debate heavily in his favour, unless the newspaper was prepared to give the same right of reply to the other correspondents. This would be impractical given the space available.