Complaints Statistics 2007-2008

The Council, each year, publishes a statistical analysis of all the formal complaints it receives. (That means those complaints it receives in written form, not just matters which are raised informally in phone discussions.)

The Council has been consistently keeping such data since its formation and has maintained, largely, the same categories within each area of its statistics (although the definition of whether a complaint is about "false reporting" or "inaccuracy" can be a fine one and Executive Secretaries have differed in their interpretation of what constitutes a "mediated" complaint as compared to one which has been "withdrawn after correspondence".)

In each table, there are three set of figures: the 2007-2008 figures and their percentages; the previous year's figures and their percentages; and the figures over the nineteen years since 1988-1989 and their percentages.

This file contains the following tables:

Complaints Received
State of Residence of complainants
Status of complainant
Subject of complaint
Type of publication
How complaints were disposed of
Adjudications

Complaints Received
	2007/08		2006/07		Total 1988/07
Carried forward from previous period	31		49		36
Complaints	457		421		7424
Letters (some contain more than 1 complaint)	337		316		6328
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From complainants in
	2007/08	% 2007/08	2006/07	% 2006/07	1988/07	% 1988/07
New South Wales	101	30	102	32.3	2196	34.7
Victoria	66	19.6	62	19.6	1479	23.4
Queensland	71	21.1	57	18	1086	17.2
Western Australia	36	10.7	35	11.1	519	8.2
South Australia	23	6.8	20	6.3	442	7
Tasmania	15	4.4	18	5.7	242	3.8
ACT	14	4.1	12	3.8	192	3.2
Northern Territory	5	1.5	4	1.3	115	1.8
Overseas	6	1.8	6	1.9	45	0.7
Total	337	100	316	100	6328	100
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Made by
	2007/08	% 2007/08	2006/07	% 2006/07	1988/07	% 1988/07
Individuals	196	58.2	173	54.7	3835	60.6
Professionals	15	4.4	28	8.9	448	7.1
Associations/Organisations	13	3.8	16	5.1	524	8.3
Companies/Businesses	19	5.6	16	5.1	207	3.3
Institutions/Public Bodies	4	1.2	3	0.9	81	1.3
Government Departments/Agencies	10	3	15	4.7	174	2.7
Local Councils/members	15	4.4	18	5.7	253	4
Religious groups	14	4.1	5	1.6	96	1.5
Aboriginal support groups/legal services	3	0.9	7	2.2	89	1.4
Ethnic community groups	8	2.4	2	0.6	95	1.5
Other lobby groups#	19	5.6	11	3.5	11	0.2
Election Candidates/Politicians	14	4.1	10	3.2	215	3.4
Political parties	4	1.2	5	1.6	72	1.1
Unions	1	0.3	3	0.9	59	0.9
Solicitors (for clients)*	0	-	0	-	119	1.9
Publications	4	1.3	4	1.3	33	0.5
Anonymous	0	-	0	-	17	0.3
Total	337	100	316	100	6328	100
#This new category was introduced in 2006-7 to distinguish those individuals who represent a community-based campaign group, including anti-vaccination and anti-fluoride campaigners. * Under new guidelines adopted by the Council in 1996, most complaints made by solicitors for clients are now dealt with as if they had been submitted by the client.
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About
	2007/08	% 2007/08	2006/07	% 2006/07	1988/07	% 1988/07
Abuse of press freedom	4	0.9	7	1.7	74	1
Advertising	7	1.5	3	0.7	210	2.8
Bad Taste	6	1.3	7	1.7	103	1.4
Bias	18	3.9	13	3.1	387	5.2
Censorship; suppression of facts	13	2.9	5	1.2	247	3.3
Distortion	10	2.2	12	2.9	267	3.6
Ethical standards breached	28	6.1	28	6.6	463	6.3
False reporting	13	6.9	13	3.1	383	5.2
Freedom of the press threatened	0	-	0	-	29	0.4
Headline, false or misleading	29	6.3	16	3.8	270	3.6
Imbalance; inadequate cover (inc no reply)	50	10.9	50	11.9	693	9.3
Inaccuracy; misrepresentation	89	19.5	72	17.1	1046	14.1
Invasion of privacy	25	5.5	26	6.2	403	5.4
Irresponsibility	14	3.1	17	4	279	3.8
Letters: non publication or editing	17	3.7	13	3.1	344	4.6
Offensive cartoons	3	0.7	5	1.2	118	1.6
Offensive coverage	33	7.2	30	7.1	553	7.4
Racism; religious disparagement	34	7.4	22	5.2	434	5.8
Sensationalism	7	1.5	11	2.6	129	1.7
Sexism	8	1.8	10	2.4	126	1.8
Unfair Treatment	47	10.3	61	14.4	785	10.6
Other (unclassifiable)	2	0.4	0	-	81	1.1
Total	457	100	421	100	7424	100
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Against (Type of publication)
	2007/08	% 2007/08	2006/07	% 2006/07	1988/07	% 1988/07
Metropolitan newspapers	193	42.2	210	50	3581	48.2
Regional daily newspapers	47	10.4	67	15.9	1041	14
Country newspapers	49	10.7	41	9.7	750	10.1
Suburban newspapers	32	7	28	6.6	570	7.7
Magazines (general interest)	12	2.6	11	2.6	416	5.6
National newspapers	64	14	35	8.3	515	6.9
Ethnic community press	4	0.9	3	0.7
Special interest publications	12	2.6	10	2.4
Ethnic/special interest*					247	3.3
On-line news sites#	24	5.2	-	-	-	-
Rural publications (bi-weekly/monthly)	9	2	3	0.7	17	0.2
Non-specific; other	11	2.4	13	3.1	287	3.9
Total	457	100	421	100	7424	100
# Category added in 2007-2008 to reflect the number of complaints arising solely from publication on members' (and others') news sites *Prior to 1995, ethnic community press and special interest publications were counted in the one category.
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Complaints were disposed of:
	2007/08	% 2007/08	2006/07	% 2006/07	1988/07	% 1988/07
Refused as inappropriate	72	16.3	82	18.7	1064	14.3
Referred to other organisations	30	6.8	16	3.6	371	5
Withdrawn for legal action	26	5.9	23	5.2	350	4.7
Not followed up	37	8.4	53	12.1	1098	14.8
Withdrawn after correspondence	106	24	97	22.1	1559	21
Mediation	94	21.3	94	21.4	1472	19.8
By press release	0	-	0	-	9	0.1
By adjudication	73	16.6	74	16.9	1443	19.4
Other action	3	0.7	0	-	66	0.8
Total disposed of	441	100	439	100	7429	100
Carried forward to next period	47		31		31
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Adjudications
	2007/08	% 2007/08	2006/07	% 2006/07	1988/07	% 1988/07
Complaints upheld	11	31.4	8	27.5	253	25.6
Complaints upheld in part	5	14.3	8	20	152	15.3
Complaints upheld in whole or part	16	45.7	19	47.5	405	40.9
Complaints dismissed	18	51.4	21	52.5	562	56.8
Complaints neither upheld nor dismissed	1	2.9	0	-	23	2.3
Number of adjudications	35	100	40	100	990	100
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See also:

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Complaints Overview

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