Complaints not adjudicated: 2008-2009

This year's report noted a small percentage of complaints, only 13 per cent, progressed through the complaints procedures (published in the Council's information booklet, Objects, Principles and Complaints Procedure, available from the office and posted on the Council's website at: http://www.presscouncil.org,au/pcsite/complaints/process.html) to the adjudication stage in 2008-2009. This figure can be compared with previous years, in the table in the annual report. Of the remaining complaints, some were refused, some referred to another body and others withdrawn for legal action. Details of the number in each category can be found in the statistics on page 47. 7.3 per cent of complainants did not follow-up a request from the Secretariat for more detail on their complaints. And then there are those complainants who were happy to let their complaint rest after receiving the publication's response to the complaint and those whose complaints were conciliated either by the Council Secretariat or by a Public Member of the Council. 47.5 per cent of all complaints ended in this way - to the satisfaction of all parties.

The complaints process gives to the Executive Secretary a discretion to refuse a complaint in a number of circumstances. In previous annual reports, there has been discussion of some of these. Complainants who feel aggrieved can appeal the decision to the Council's Complaints Committee, which decides whether to accept the matter for processing. In exceptionally rare circumstances, publications can appeal the acceptance of what they see as an unfair complaint.

In one particular case this year, fifty-five complaints were received from complainants associated with a website, which encouraged complaints about a series of articles in The Australian on the question of shared custody among separated/divorced couples. Many of the complaints alleged bias, and the rest inaccuracy. Based on his reading of the articles, the Executive Secretary determined that there was no breach of the Council's Principles evidenced in the articles and all were refused.

Conciliated complaints

A number of the complainants conciliated successfully by the secretariat, or by an independent member of the Council, and the sorts of settlements arrived at, are outlined in each edition of the APC News, and these are published on the Council's website.

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View the details of complaints not adjudicated for each of the following years:

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