News in brief - August 2003

2003 and 2004 Australian Press Council Prize

Entries have closed for the 2003 Prize and the judges are currently reading the entries. Results will be announced on the website by the end of August.

Conditions for entry and topic for the 2004 APC Prize essay will posted to the website and announced in the November APC News.

More details are available on this website's Prize page.

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Policy and Research Officer

The Australian Press Council has decided to add to its staff by employing a permanent part-time Policy Officer.

The position will require three days a week in the Council's Sydney office. Reporting to the Executive Secretary, the position will help to develop and strengthen the Council's advocacy role in promoting freedom of speech, by researching political, legislative, commercial or other developments that may restrict the print media's access to information, and put at risk the community's right to know about matters of importance and public interest.

The position will require excellent written and oral communication skills, a sound knowledge of policy formulation and review processes in Federal and State governments, experience in research, policy analysis and review, preferably in public policy, and demonstrated experience in desktop publishing and/or website design and maintenance.

For further information and a position description, please contact the Executive Secretary, (02) 9261 1930 or info@presscouncil.org.au. Applications, in writing, close 5 September 2003.

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Book Launch

The Australian Press Council hosted the Sydney launch of The Usefulness of John West: Dissent and Difference in the Australian Colonies, a history written by Patricia Fitzgerald Ratcliff.

The launch was held in the Dixson Room of the NSW State Library, at 6pm on Wednesday 18 June 2003. Paul Brunton, the Mitchell Library's senior curator, launched the book before an audience of invited guests and members of the public. Among those in attendance was Sheila Mason, a founding public member of the Council.

Patricia Ratcliff is a founder of the Launceston Historical Society and of the annual Examiner-John West Memorial Lecture. She edited John West's Union of the Colonies: Essays on Federation, written under the pseudonym of John Adams. She was a public member of the Australian Press Council for nine years.

The subject of the book, the Rev. John West, was one of the most influential newspapermen in colonial Australia. A religious dissenter who fought for the separation of Church and State, Federation and colonial independence, he helped found The Launceston Examiner and was the first 'Editor' of The Sydney Morning Herald, a position he held for nearly twenty years.

A report on the launch is elsewhere in this issue of the News.

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Threat to editorial independence

The Australian Press Council expressed its concern at moves by the federal Minister for Communications to establish a new government-appointed body to deal with complaints about the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

The Council, the self-regulatory body overseeing the freedom and responsibility of the Australian print media, has recently adopted a Charter for a Free Press in Australia, one principle of which reads:

Laws, regulations and practices which in any way restrict or inhibit the right of the press freely to gather and distribute news, views and information are unacceptable unless it can be shown that the public interest is better served by such laws, regulations or practices than the public interest in the people's right to know.

The Council believes that the Minister's action raises the possibility of further government restrictions on the ability of the media freely to report matters of public interest and concern.

There are already regulatory and self-regulatory ways of redressing concerns with the content of ABC programs giving the Minister two options if he is dissatisfied with the report of the internal review of his complaints. He can take the matter to the ABC's Independent Complaints Review Panel or to the Australian Broadcasting Authority, the regulatory body established by statute to deal with concerns where a broadcaster has failed, in the view of a complainant, adequately to deal with a matter.

In the Council's view, the establishment of an ad hoc tribunal supervening the established complaints systems is both unnecessary and may cause the public to believe that the government wants to interfere in the editorial processes of media organisations and, thus, limit the public's right to receive information of interest and concern to it.

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On the Council

Natascha McNamara, first appointed an alternate member in 1992 and a full member since 1997, has retired from the Council. With the earlier retirements of Judy Taylor and Jack Ensor, that created three vacancies on the panel of public members. Three new members have been appointed, Francesca Beddie from Queanbeyan in NSW, Brenton Holmes from the ACT, and Lisa Scaffidi from Perth. Additionally, because half the panel now has twelve months or fewer experience, the Council agreed unanimously to re-appoint Professor HP Lee for a further two years.

Francesca Beddie is Executive Director of Adult Learning Australia, a national body whose mission is to promote and foster the value of learning. Francesca is also Director of Make Your Point, a consultancy offering tailored training in effective communication. She spent ten years with the Department of Foreign Affairs including postings in Jakarta, Moscow and Berlin, the latter as Deputy Consul-General. Francesca has also held positions with AusAID as Director of Policy Development, the PNG Drought Taskforce and the Public Affairs & Ministerial Services. She has been a consultant in International Affairs, as well as to the Foundation of Development Corporation and to the Australian Taxation Office. Francesca is also a published author.

Brenton Holmes is Secretary, Senate Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade References and Legislation Committees. With twenty years experience as a senior public servant, State ministerial officer, and Commonwealth parliamentary executive, Brenton has enjoyed a high level professional engagement across both the executive and legislative spheres. He has worked in capacity development projects in Fiji, for the new East Timorese legislature, and implemented political literacy programs in remote Aboriginal communities. Brenton has been a long-time participant in the community, notably education and welfare organisations. And, he enjoys a bit of culture - he is deputy conductor of the Capital Hill Singers, and a regular attendee at the monthly 'Poetry at the Red Belly Black'.

As a West Australian born and educated woman, Lisa Scaffidi is very active in Perth in her roles as Executive Director W.A. for CEDA - The Committee for Economic Development of Australia (an apolitical organization which looks at economic and social issues impacting Australia). Lisa is also a Councillor for the City of Perth. She is into her second term on the Perth City Council having been re-elected in May 2003 for a 4-year term. Although Lisa graduated from W.A.I.T. (now Curtin University) in 1979 with an Associate Diploma in Dental Therapy she found herself working for many years in the hospitality industry, and more specifically in conference co-ordination, sales and marketing. Lisa is very focused on tourism issues and the future strategic planning of Perth, with a particular focus on the city, where she lives and works. Lisa sits on various Boards and Committee's in Western Australia, such as the Perth Convention Bureau, The Western Australian Ballet and the Central Rail Development Committee. Lisa has a very wide range of business contacts, has travelled extensively and enjoys meeting and interacting with a diverse range of people.

Among the industry members, John Radovan has retired from AAP and his replacement is Phillip Dickson. With Brian Rogers' resignation as editor of The West Australian, his place on the Council lapsed. The newspaper has not nominated his successor as yet. Karen Brown continues to serve as the company's alternate member.

Sybil Nolan, one of the Council's journalist alternate members, resigned when she took up a role with a publisher. Her successor is Bruce Baskett who is currently a freelance business writer for overseas publications, as well as acting as a business communications adviser to state governments and large companies. Formerly, he worked as a journalist and editor, largely for the Herald and Weekly Times, being chief of staff for the Herald (1982-3), New York editor for HWT (1985-7), day editor of the Sun News-Pictorial (1987-9, editor of the Herald and then Herald-Sun (1989-91). He also worked as European editor (1991-2) and Australian Group Editorial Development Manager for New Technology (1992-4) for News Limited. Subsequently he worked as General Manager of the Bendigo Advertiser and editor of The Press, Christchurch. In the late 1980s he briefly served as the alternate member of the Press Council for HWT. Bruce Baskett has judged the PANPA Newspaper of the Year, Melbourne Press Club Quill and Victorian Cricket Association Media awards.

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Mediated Complaints

The Council office tries to solve matters by direct contact with the publication concerned. This often leads to a settlement of the matter satisfactory to both parties. On rare occasions, a Public Member of the Council will convene a face-to-face mediation, by agreement with the parties. Below are some examples of the matters recently settled in these ways.

• A metropolitan Sunday newspaper published an article which the complainant believed to be part of an "anti-Polish campaign" by the newspaper and its daily affiliate. After mediation, the paper agreed to publish a 'reasonable' letter from the complainant. He submitted a letter which the newspaper published in a truncated form, without further consultation with either the complainant or the Council. The published letter outlined the complainant's his concerns with the particular article but omitted his wider criticisms of the newspaper and his allegations of a campaign. This led to a further complaint.
   
• A regional daily published a letter to the editor which gave details of the complainants' address, and the fact that they are not home seven days a week as they both work full-time. The complainants believed that the letter invaded their privacy. The paper offered an oral apology (a published apology was discounted as it would only keep the matter in the public forum). The complainants referred the matter to the Press Council (and the Privacy Commission which did not deal with the matter as the newspaper subscribed to the Council's Privacy Standards and was therefore exempt from the Privacy Act when engaged in journalism). The matter was resolved by mediation by a Public Member of the Press Council. The parties came to an agreement that the paper would write articles covering promotion of events to be held by two associations with which the complainants are affiliated.
   
• A metropolitan newspaper published an opinion piece, critical of a recently published book. The author submitted a letter to the editor, which was not published by the paper. The secretariat of the Press Council arranged for publication of the letter. The complainant was happy with the outcome.
   
• A metropolitan newspaper published an article which contained a statement about an intelligence agency. The complainant believed the statement was inaccurate. After receipt of the complaint from the Press Council, the editor and the complainant discussed the matter. The paper subsequently published a clarification of the article. The complainant advised the Press Council that the editor "was very obliging in this matter", and that he now wished to withdraw his complaint.

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HREOC consultation

The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission has co-ordinated a reference group on 'eliminating prejudice against Arab and Muslim Australians'. Recently the group turned its attention to the media, inviting the APC and the ABA to discuss matters with it. The ABA sent a few sheets of paper, so the Council carried the can for the media. The Executive Secretary spoke briefly about the Council's role in dealing with complaints and then took part in a two hour discussion with the group. There was some dissatisfaction with the general job being done by the media particularly the electronic media but also by some sections of the print media. The group had two major suggestions to put before the Council:

• the Council consider the appointment of a Muslim when next appointing public members to enable that community a more direct input into the Council; and/or
   
• in addition to the meetings with the industry the Council consider regular meetings with specific community groups to discuss issues of mutual concern.

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Race for Headlines

Further to the report from the Anti-Discrimination Board noted in the May issue, the Council's Executive Secretary met with an Assistant Director-General of the NSW Attorney-General's department to discuss the report and future relations between the Board and the APC. The discussions related more to the way in which the ADB would conduct future investigations, particularly that it would consult with bodies like the Council before making recommendations about their activities. The Council noted the HREOC consultation (above) and suggested that the recommendation in the report on community capacity building for the Muslim community is one that the department might follow-up.

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Freedom of Information

In July the federal Attorney-General, Daryl Williams, responded in detail to an analysis of journalists' use of Freedom of Information (FoI) with a letter outlining a review by his department of FoI procedures. Last year, the Press Council sought a national uniform approach on improving public access to government information by, inter alia, the introduction of penalties for department and FoI officers who fail to comply with the time-frame provisions of FoI legislation; and giving FoI applicants the ability to claim their costs if successful in an appeals process.

The study, commissioned by the Council, found that many FoI requests were obstructed on the grounds that meeting them would "substantially or unreasonably" divert resources; time delays discouraged FoI requests; user-pays principles often made the cost of seeking information prohibitive; the operation of exemption provisions greatly reduced information made available; and arbitrary decisions on classification of documents by FoI officers often stopped requests in their tracks.

A copy of the Attorney's response, together with comments on it from a journalist expert in FoI activities and a release from the federal Opposition which seems to confirm the study's finding on the negative impact of prohibitive costs will be posted on the Council's website when this issue of the News is uploaded to the Internet.

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