Adjudication No. 970 (May 1998) [1998] APC 16

ADJUDICATION No. 970 (May 1998)

The Press Council has upheld a complaint against The Advertiser, Adelaide, by Barry Wakelin MHR.

In June 1997, The Advertiser reported on the travel plans of South Australian Federal MPs during the winter recess. Mr Wakelin, a Government MP, did not originally provide details of his intentions when first contacted by the paper. He was thus concerned when a subsequent article stated that he and his wife were "putting plans for a seven-week winter holiday on hold" allegedly because of The Advertiser's investigation of parliamentary travel.

Mr Wakelin complained that this statement was a "deliberate and malicious lie" that damaged his reputation. He said that, in fact, he had been preparing a three-week working visit overseas, partly paid for by himself.

The Advertiser stated that it had attempted to obtain details of Mr Wakelin's travel plans from his office, but had received little co-operation. Its report of the postponed "seven-week holiday" was said to be based on information from other Liberal Party sources.

Nevertheless, the paper promptly published a letter from Mr Wakelin explaining his position, as well as an advertisement (paid for by Mr Wakelin), with the same purpose. In addition, the paper later apologised privately to Mr Wakelin for any embarrassment he may have suffered from the story.

Even if Mr Wakelin refused to provide details of the duration, purpose, or destinations of his proposed overseas visit, the report should have made it clear to readers that in talking with the journalist, he had firmly rejected the description of the trip as a "seven-week winter holiday".

To quote this description as fact, instead of as a statement emanating from sources within the Liberal Party, was misleading to readers.

[NOTE: Mr Wakelin brought this matter to the Council six months after the article appeared, and after making attempts to resolve the matter with the newspaper. The Council thus waived the normal three month guidelines on receipt of complaints.]