Adjudication No. 906 (January 1997) [1997] APC 7

ADJUDICATION No. 906 (January 1997)

Faye Thurley has complained that the cartoon, "Dazeley's day", published on 2 August 1996 in The Examiner, Launceston, breaches several Press Council principles, in its failure to distinguish between fact and opinion, in its offensive lapse in taste, in damaging the reputation of a specific group and in failing to ensure the truth of its statements.

The cartoon was a comment on the issues of gun laws in Tasmania and makes reference to semi-automatic weapons. It also referred to an article published on the same day in The Examiner which reported an amendment to the 1991 Tasmanian Firearms Act which had been approved by the Legislative Council and which allowed the minimum age for learner shooter permits to be reduced from 16 years to 12 years, under supervision.

The contradictions in this legislation are captured by the cartoonist together with an implication that semi-automatic weapons are freely available to the community, including 12 year olds. Semi-automatic weapons were in fact banned in Tasmania by the date of publication and it is with this that Mrs Thurley takes issue.

The Council has said that cartoonists have a leeway to express their opinion, even if they use exaggeration to make their point.

The complaint is dismissed.