Adjudication No. 1061 (November 1999) [1999] APC 55

ADJUDICATION No. 1061 (November 1999)

The Press Council has dismissed a complaint against the Daily News, of Tweed Heads, over its reports surrounding an alleged election smear campaign organised within the Murwillumbah branch of the ALP.

The paper reported the smear allegation by businessman Bill Bedser, who was co-ordinating an attempt to produce a change in the local council. Mr Bedser claimed he had planted a "mole" in an ALP meeting and had a tape recording to support his allegation.

The paper covered the story on its front page, and included denials of any smear plot from ALP councillors.

Six days later, after the council elections, Mr Bedser admitted that he was "bluffing"; there was no tape, it was nothing but a "myth".

This was reported by the paper with full-page treatment on page 3. The paper also editorialised on the incident, saying that it "stank" of the sort of bitter infighting Mr Bedser had said his "team" would never be part of. Several letters were published, one of which said the "myth" confession should have been on page 1 with the headline: Bedser Lied.

The complainant to the Press Council, Gwendy Barton, made the same points.

The Press Council, however, believes that the paper was justified in publishing the smear allegation as it did; it had no corroboration, but it did cover the ALP denials. As for publishing the "myth" confession on page 3, that was an editorial decision, on competing news values, and the revelation of "bluffing" and criticism of it was extensively covered on that day and later.