Adjudication No. 1355 (adjudicated May 2007) [2007] APC 12

Adjudication No. 1355 (adjudicated May 2007)

The Australian Press Council has upheld in part a complaint from Malcolm Hazell, the official secretary to the Governor-General Michael Jeffery, against the Sunday Telegraph.

Mr Hazell's complaint related to two articles by Glenn Milne. Both discussed the role of the Governor-General and quoted a number of unnamed sources. The first, on 19 November 2006, reported the Governor-General had become a victim of a "vicious whispering campaign" that attacked his performance in the office. The second, a week later, claimed the South Australian Premier's office had been warned the Governor-General was planning to lobby on behalf of a colleague to have him appointed Governor of South Australia.

In particular Mr Hazell was concerned that the second article, dated 26 November, headed G-G embroiled in new controversy, contained allegations specifically denied by the Governor-General and by the South Australian Premier, and that these denials were not reflected in the headline or early paragraphs. Mr Hazell said that the headline also linked the article to the earlier report of controversies involving the Governor-General, without noting that the earlier report was based on a "vicious whispering campaign".

The Sunday Telegraph stood by both stories, noting that they were adequately sourced and related to matters of public interest. The office of Governor-General was quoted in both articles, commenting on the matters raised.

The Council is of the view that the articles dealt with a number of matters of public interest. The newspaper is confident that the information received from its sources is accurate and it gave the Governor-General's office an opportunity to comment on all matters raised.

However, the headline and balance of the second article, without the context of the "whispering campaign" and in the light of the denials from the Premier and the Governor-General's office, were unfair to the Governor-General. To this extent the complaint is upheld.