Adjudication No. 1268 (adjudicated February 2005) [2005] APC 1

Adjudication No. 1268 (adjudciated February 2005)

The Press Council has dismissed a complaint from Jerry Cornford about an article, editorials and editorial comment in the Daily News, Tweed Heads, relating to a proposed development at Cabarita Beach.

Mr Cornford contended that the coverage of the matter breached Press Council principles in that it was biased in favour of development and contained deliberate misstatements of fact.

The newspaper responded by saying that Mr Cornford's allegations were selective and pointed to a very large number of letters published that covered facets of the objections to the development.

Any objective assessment of the totality of material published clearly demonstrates that both sides of the story were placed before the public.

The correctness or otherwise of assertions made about ALP support for a councillor and covenants over land are not matters which Council can determine. However, it notes that both sides of the dispute over facts were published.