Adjudication No. 1239 (April 2004) [2004] APC 14

Adjudication No. 1239 (April 2004)

The Australian Press Council has dismissed a complaint brought by the Anarchist Media Institute against the Herald Sun over a story Police probe anarchy website published on 16 February 2004.

The story focused on the investigation by the Victoria Police of certain activities of various anarchist groups. The story also specifically mentioned the "Brunswick Liberation Front" as one of the groups being investigated.

Dr Joseph Toscano, for the Anarchist Media Institute, claimed that the article unfairly called into question 'the integrity of the Australian anarchist community', that it made a number of unsubstantiated allegations and labelled 'organisations that have nothing to do with the anarchist movement as anarchist cells', and that the newspaper had failed to publish a letter he sent to the editor.

In its response, the newspaper pointed out that the article did not say that all Melbourne anarchists were involved in the investigation, that there was no mention of the Anarchist Media Institute, and that the newspaper was not making 'allegations' but reporting correctly matters being investigated by the police. The newspaper also explained that Dr Toscano's letter was not published because 'it misinterpreted the article' and 'casts aspersions on the credibility of the reporter'.

The decision by the newspaper not to publish the letter was not unreasonable. Even though the complainant appeared to have no objections to the letter being edited, it was still reasonable for the newspaper not to publish an edited version, as the letter would require drastic revision by the newspaper.