Council History

In 1916, Sweden established the world's first press council, as an independent self-regulator. The British Press Council developed between 1947 and 1977.

The Australian Press Council was founded in July 1976, after discussion between publishers and the Australian Journalists Association (AJA). The Council's Constitution calls for balanced representation of publishers, journalists and the public, with an independent chairman.

The first Chairman was Sir Frank Kitto, a retired Justice of the High Court of Australia. Until the appointment of the current Chair, Professor Ken McKinnon, an educationist, Kitto's successors were also people with a legal background, either retired judges or Professors of Law. The Chairman, who must have had no previous connection with the press, has responsibility for Council matters between meetings and is assisted by a Vice Chairman, chosen from among the public members of the Council. The office is headed by an Executive Secretary, appointed by the Council to have executive authority for the day-to-day running of the Council office. The elected and appointed officials of the Council are listed below.

The original constituent bodies were the Australian Newspapers Council, the Regional Dailies of Australia Ltd, the Australian Provincial Press Association (non dailies), and the Australian Journalists Association. There were then 13 members: the Chairman, three members of the public chosen by the Chairman, six representatives of the publishers and three of the AJA.

The Council's history has not always been smooth. John Fairfax Ltd was not originally a party to the Council, finally joining in 1982. News Ltd withdrew from the Council in June 1980, and rejoined in 1987. (Its publications continued to co-operate with the Council in that period.) Similarly, the Australian Suburban Newspapers Association Pty Ltd has joined and left the Council on a couple of occasions, most recently leaving in 1996 and rejoining in 1998. In the same year, RDA ceased to exist but all but one of its members affiliated with the Council. The AJA (now part of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance) withdrew from the Council in 1987. In the same year, the Council was restructured to its current format. The MEAA re-affiliated with the Council on 1 July 2005.

In 1992, the Australian Press Council became a foundation member of the World Association of Press Councils and acted as its Convenor/Depository Council. In May 2000, the Council withdrew from the association, releasing GPR 240 to explain the reasons.

Publications

The Council has published two booklets dealing with its history:

• Deborah Kirkman's Whither the Australian Press Council? (188 kB); and

• Prof David Flint's report on his ten years as Chairman - 1987-97 (220 kB).

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*Acting Secretary: September 1985 - July 1986

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