Apology to Mr John Knight
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ABC News Digital: A story posted to the ABC's website on November 2, 2015 concerning the sentencing of one John William Knight incorrectly featured the picture of a different John Knight. The ABC clarifies that the image of Mr Knight, an Adelaide school teacher, was used in error and acknowledges that he is not associated with the relevant court proceedings in any way. The ABC apologises to Mr Knight for any hurt or embarrassment caused.
Dr Leslie Cannold
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News Radio: On 28 September Dr Leslie Cannold was interviewed on the subject of a new phone service offering abortion drugs to women in remote Australia. ABC News Radio would like to clarify that Dr Cannold has a PHD in education and is not a medical doctor.
Ewen McKenzie
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7pm News: On 26 October an introduction to a story on the Australian victory over Argentina in the Rugby World Cup said that former coach Ewen McKenzie had been sacked. Mr McKenzie resigned on 18 October 2014.
Adler shotgun ban negotiations
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774 ABC Melbourne: During a discussion about gun control on Sundays with Libbi Gorr on 774 ABC Melbourne on 30 August, the program did not specifically mention that the importation ban on the Adler 110 shotgun was implemented by the Abbott government after the Martin Place siege, and that Senator Leyonhjelm negotiated a 12 month automatic end to the ban in exchange for his support on migration issues, in breach of the ABC's editorial standards for accuracy.
Cathy Peters
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RN: Following the broadcast and publication of two stories by Cathy Peters on RN's Earshot - Jerusalem: A Divine Crime Scene, broadcast Monday 27 July, and An Unholy Mix on Thursday 30 July - it was brought to the program's attention that Ms Peters' associations with the pro-Palestinian cause had not been disclosed, and the online audio and stories were amended to make that clear. Additional context was also provided to the audience about the point of view nature of the program.
Cory Bernardi
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Q&A: On 28 September, when asking Senator Barnaby Joyce about the prospect of Senator Cory Bernardi forming his own political party, Tony Jones referred to "Cory Bernardi's Golden Dawn or something". These words were intended only as shorthand for a new conservative party and not to suggest that Senator Bernardi is a supporter of, or would be associated with, the policies and views of the Greek political party Golden Dawn which has been characterised as neo-fascist. This was clarified on-air at the end of the 5 October episode and a clarification was also added to the transcript of the 28 September episode.
Adler shotgun
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News: On Thursday August 20, the 7PM News showed footage of a pump-action shotgun being fired in a story about the Adler lever-action shotgun. The footage used was incorrect. The video has been corrected online and the incorrect footage has been removed.
TURC Royal Commission
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PM: On 21 August PM reported statements to the Trade Union Royal Commission made by CFMEU barrister, John Agius that an email concerning an invitation for Dyson Heydon to speak at a Liberal Party function had been doctored before being shown to lawyers. However, it failed to report that later in the hearing it was established that no email had been doctored. The error resulted from the reporter mishearing evidence.
Mal Brough
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Lateline: During an interview with Mal Brough, the Special Minister of State, on 21 September, presenter Emma Alberici stated in a question that “Justice Steven Rares said that you, Mr Ashby and another political staffer worked in combination for the predominant purpose of causing political damage to Mr Slipper. He said you'd entered into what amounted to a political conspiracy to advance the interests of the LNP and Mr Brough”. ABC News clarifies that on 27 February 2014, the Federal Court granted former political staffer James Ashby leave to appeal a previous judgement by the Federal Court, throwing out a sexual harassment case against his former boss Peter Slipper as an abuse of process. The original judgement by Justice Steven Rares found that Mal Brough, together with Mr Ashby and others, had been involved in a conspiracy to damage Mr Slipper politically. Three judges in the Federal Court set aside that decision on the grounds that there was "no basis for the primary judge to conclude that Brough was part of any combination with anyone in respect to the commencement of these proceedings with the predominant purpose of damaging Slipper in any way alleged or at all". Four months later, James Ashby dropped his sexual harassment case against Peter Slipper.
On the Run
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7.30: In a 7.30 story broadcast on 3 September convenience store operator, On The Run, was referred to as a franchise. On The Run is not a franchise operation like 7-Eleven and the transcript has been amended to reflect this. The ABC has learnt that some of the information Mr Whale supplied to the ABC was incorrect. Mr Whale was employed by On The Run for only 5 months on a part time basis, and at most times earned wages in excess of what was stated during his interview, and exceeding $400 in some weeks depending on his hours. OTR strongly refutes any suggestion that it has underpaid workers or engaged in conduct similar to that allegedly engaged in by 7-Eleven.
Cesar Melham
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The World Today: On 8 July The World today reported that following revelations in the Trade Union Royal Commission, Cesar Melhem MP had gone from the Victorian Parliament. This was incorrect; Mr Melhem stood down as the Labor Party’s Upper House whip. He has not left the Victorian Parliament.
Noosa councillor Tony Wellington
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ABC Sunshine Coast: On Friday August 28, ABC Sunshine Coast put to air a story relating to flood mitigation measures involving land resumption in Rifle Street Pomona, which included interviews relating to a public meeting in relation to those measures organised by the Noosa Council for residents. During the Drive program, allegations were raised regarding Noosa councillor Tony Wellington's conduct at that meeting. At the time of going to air, ABC Sunshine Coast had not sought a response from councillor Wellington to those matters. Councillor Wellington has now let the station know that he strongly refutes those allegations. ABC Sunshine Coast wishes to pass that on to our listeners and regrets having been unable to provide councillor Wellington's response at the time of going to air.
Al Taqwa College
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ABC News Online: On 23 April the ABC reported that the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) was investigating allegations that girls at Melbourne’s Al Taqwa College had been prevented from participating in cross country and running events because of their gender. The VRQA has now completed its investigations and has found that those allegations could not be substantiated. The VRQA has asked Al Taqwa college to strengthen its curriculum to ensure that both boys and girls are able to fully participate in health and physical education. Al Taqwa college says its female students participate in the full range of sporting activities and that it will work with the VRQA to continue to improve its curriculum.
Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis
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Rural: ABC Rural published a story online on the 18 August 2015 with comments from Tim Buckley, the director of energy finance studies at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. The article was amended to clarify the position of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, and to point to other ABC coverage of this issue.
Online Sale of Firearms
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Afternoons: On ABC New 24 Afternoons on Wednesday 3 August, during a discussion on rising levels of gun ownership, a presenter suggested it was easy to legally buy guns online in Australia. While this view was corrected by the guest, the suggestion may have caused some confusion to the audience. ABC News wishes to make it clear that in Australia guns must be purchased from licensed firearms dealers who have reporting obligations to police.
Gina Rinehart
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ABC Radio: On August 17 and 21, 2015, ABC Radio broadcast stories that made reference to concerns that Gina Rinehart’s companies, amongst others, were dudding Australian taxpayers by shifting profits overseas and not paying their fair share. Hancock Prospecting have contacted us to advise there is no basis for such a suggestion and the ABC retracts any such allegation and apologises to Ms Rinehart and Hancock Prospecting for the broadcasts.
Climate Council Report
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AM: On 24 June ABC Online published a story on a recent report by the Climate Council on the Galilee Basin and the future of coal. The story incorrectly said that existing mines should be exploited before new mines were built and that if all of the Galilee Basin coal was burned, Australia's emissions would more than double to 705 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. The story has been corrected, stating that to address climate change existing mines will need to be retired before they are exploited fully and new mines cannot be built and that if all of the Galilee Basin coal was burned, it is estimated that more than 1.3 times Australia’s current annual emissions would be released each year.
Shark Alarm
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AM: On July 18, 2015 in a story on a new form of shark alarm being trialled in Perth, AM reported that 172 sharks had been killed during the WA Government’s Shark Drum Line Deployment. The correct number is 68.
John McNair
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ABC News Online: On Tuesday, 28 July 2014 the ABC reported in an online story that horse trainer John McNair had been penalised by Racing NSW for giving a horse the drug ice. This was incorrect. The specific breach of racing rules Mr McNair pleaded guilty to was bringing a horse to a race course with a prohibited substance in its system. Following their investigation into the matter, Racing NSW Stewards expressly noted that they were satisfied Mr McNair did not administer or have knowledge of the administration of the drug found in the horse’s system. The ABC apologises to Mr McNair for the error.
John Anderson
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Q&A: In the course of Q&A on 22 July panel member Alan Jones while talking about connections between the National Party and mining companies stated "John Anderson, the former leader [of the National Party], who went to Eastern Star Gas on a success fee if he could sell Eastern Star Gas to Santos. I won't tell you what the success fee was.” Former deputy Prime Minister John Anderson contacted Q&A to say he received no success fee. The claim was first made in the Sydney Morning Herald on May 25 2015 but is untrue and was subsequently withdrawn and corrected by the Sydney Morning Herald.
Comparative costs of energy
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Q&A: In the course of Q&A on 22 July panel member Alan Jones quoted figures on the comparative cost of coal powered energy and wind powered energy: "80% of Australian energy comes from coal, coal-fired power, and it’s about $79 a kilowatt hour. Wind power is about $1,502 a kilowatt hour. That is unaffordable.” Those figures are incorrect. Mr Jones apologised for the error and pointed Q&A to an analysis by The Conversation which clarifies the comparative costs.
Sexual Abuse Compensation
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Lateline: On Wed July 22, Lateline published an online story by reporter Hamish Fitzsimmons about the push for a national redress scheme for victims of institutional sexual abuse. In it, he said that the Defence Abuse Response Task Force (DART) had been set up by the Defence Force to investigate and respond to claims of abuse. This was incorrect. DART was set up by the Commonwealth Government in response to the DLA Piper Review and is administered by the Attorney- General’s Department.
Solar PV
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RN: A statement on RN Breakfast on 25 May that "solar PV has cost Australia $9 billion and we have the highest penetration of any country in the world" has been found to be incorrect, and has been removed from both the online audio and the online program description.
PETA complaint about sheep abuse
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ABC Rural: On 21-22 May 2015 ABC Rural aired a story on some editions of the Country Hour and Rural Report, and posted a story online, about verbal abuse of sheep and whether this constituted actual animal abuse.
The ABC acknowledged that the May 2015 story was misleading and inaccurate in its reporting of a PETA complaint against a sheep farmer because inadequate context was provided about PETA's specific and detailed claims of physical animal cruelty. There was no stand-alone complaint of verbal abuse. Further, the ABC accepts that despite representations from PETA the reports were not amended in a timely manner, in contravention of the Corporation's corrections and clarifications standards.
Eric Abetz
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Insiders and ABC News 24: The Shadow Agriculture Minister Joel Fitzgibbon made the following statement on Insiders, Sunday July 12 (that episode was also repeated on ABC News 24 that same day): In reference to the cost to the federal government of the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption Mr Fitzgibbon said: 'Some $17 million has gone to the former legal firm of Senator Eric Abetz.' The ABC has since been informed that this statement is inaccurate, and the ABC apologises to Senator Abetz for the error and for the rebroadcast of that episode on ABC News 24.
