Adjudication No. 1073 (February 2000) [2000] APC 8

ADJUDICATION No. 1073 (February 2000)

The Australian Press Council has dismissed a complaint from Scott Balson against an item appearing in The Courier-Mail's "Bottom Line" column on 17 November 1999.

Headed "White Ant Spotted", the item referred to a series of incidents involving Mr Balson and his association with the One Nation Party. These included a reference to him "abandoning" his job of running One Nation's website, being refused membership of the Queensland Parliamentary Press Gallery and "getting into strife" in Parliament's Public Gallery.

The Courier-Mail had published a letter from Mr Balson on 30 October, in which he refuted a number of claims in a "Bottom Line" item published the previous day, including the allegation that he had created trouble in the Parliamentary Public Gallery. Mr Balson claimed the newspaper, in its 17 November article, had breached the Council's principle which states, in part, that publications should not publish what they know or could reasonably be expected to know is false.

Mr Balson also denied he had "abandoned" the One Nation website, stating he had "resigned on a matter of principle".

In its defence, The Courier-Mail submitted a copy of a report published by Mr Balson on his own website on 29 July 1998, in which he reported a confrontation in the Press Gallery "over his non-membership" of the Gallery.

The newspaper also submitted a statement from the former president of the Queensland Parliamentary Press Gallery, Mike D'Arcy, detailing an oral approach from Mr Balson for membership to the Press Gallery in July 1999.

Mr D'Arcy said he had informed Mr Balson that, in his view as president, his approach for membership would be unsuccessful and he would advise Gallery Committee members to reject his oral application. He subsequently did so and the committee members agreed.

Mr Balson submitted a letter from the current Press Gallery President, Lisa Miller, dated 17 November - the day the article complained of actually appeared in The Courier-Mail - stating that the gallery was considering his application for membership and he would be contacted when a decision was made.

The Press Council ruled that, at the time of publication, it had been reasonable for The Courier-Mail to presume its information was correct.

On the question of the alleged altercation in the Public Gallery, the newspaper had earlier published Mr Balson's denial of this. Readers of "Bottom Line" would be aware that Mr Balson's view of this event was different from the newspaper's.