Gaza
Posted
7.30: On June 15 in the introduction to a 7.30 story the presenter said that it was ‘almost impossible’ for Palestinians in Gaza to seek urgent medical attention in Israel. The ABC concedes this exaggerated the real difficulties of Palestinians seeking medical treatment in Israel. In the online version of the story Gaza was described as ‘occupied’. This was not correct and has been removed. The errors were introduced as a result of editing in Sydney.
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
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ABC News: On 22 May ABC Radio News reported that “Labor has committed to scrap the Federal Government’s so-called medicines tax-copayments”. The story did not make clear that the Labor opposition was opposing the rise in the co-payment, rather than committing to scrap the co-payment altogether.
Dairy Futures
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Landline: In its program on June 27 2016, in a story about the dairy industry, it was stated that "most of Australia's milk is sent overseas in the form of manufactured products like cheese and milk powder." This is incorrect. In fact, most of Australia's milk is consumed domestically. Only around 34 per cent of milk is exported.
Natvia
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News Online: on 13 July, ABC News published an article on Australian research that uncovered new evidence explaining why using artificial sweeteners might lead people to put on weight. The story was accompanied by an image of Natvia natural sweetener. Natvia is a natural sweetener and not an artificial sweetener; it does not contain sucralose and the picture was not appropriate for the story.
Kustom Kommune
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7pm News: On 16 June the 7pm News in Victoria broadcast a story suggesting that Kustom Kommune, had been evicted from its motorcycle workshop space. Kustom Kommune had itself given notice on the workshop after it was unable to reach a commercially acceptable arrangement with the landlord in relation to an adjacent, social space, which it needed to carry out social aspects of the Kustom Kommune’s activities.
Mid North Coast bail refused
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ABC Coffs Harbour News Online: On 5 April, ABC Coffs Coast published an article reporting three people were refused bail after being charged with drug offences. The report originally said one of the defendants faced a charge of detaining a person, which was incorrect. The story was updated to remove the incorrect information and an editor's note added explaining the change. The ABC regrets any distress the mistake may have caused.
AAA Rating
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7.30: On 7 July 7.30 said that Australia’s AAA credit rating had been downgraded by Standard and Poors. The ratings agency has put the rating on negative outlook; it has not been downgraded.
Wi-Fried
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Catalyst: On 16 February 2016, Catalyst aired 'Wi-Fried?', a program about the safety of wireless devices such as mobile phones. The program breached the ABC's impartiality standards by unduly favouring the unorthodox perspective that wireless devices and Wi-Fi pose significant health risks. It also contained several inaccuracies:
- It did not provide enough context for viewers to understand that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classification of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as "possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B)" was specifically based on a positive association found in some studies between heavy mobile phone use and glioma, and not on any potential risks having been found in relation to Wi-Fi use.
- When citing the Bioinitiative Report, it did not acknowledge that report's significant scientific criticisms and shortfalls, and consequently overstated its credibility and independence.
- One statement in the program, "newer studies showing that people who begin to use cell phones regularly and heavily as teenagers have four to eight times more malignant glioma, that's a brain tumour, ten years later", was materially misleading as it overstated the risks identified in the relevant 2009 study, and implied that that study hadn't been considered by the IARC in its 2011 decision to classify RF electromagnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic.
- Another statement, "When the bombs fell at the end of World War II on Japan, we followed every person who survived. Forty years is how long it took for brain cancer to develop after that exposure", overstated the latency period for brain cancer.
In recognition of these breaches of ABC editorial standards, the program was removed from the Catalyst website. An on-air statement acknowledging the breaches was made on 5 July 2016. A full investigation report from the ABC's Audience & Consumer Affairs unit is available here.
Linc Energy
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News: On 23 May 7pm News suggested that Linc Energy was associated with coal seam gas in Chincilla. Linc Energy did not have any involvement with coal seam gas but rather ran a coal gasification plant in Chincilla. Any reference to coal seam gas was removed from the report in subsequent broadcasts.
Border Force Allegations
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News: On 27 June, ABC News and ABC News Breakfast reported allegations of suspected corruption in Border Force. The news reports said that more than 100 immigration officials had been caught over the past 12 months allegedly selling visas for sex. That was incorrect.
Grim Warning
Posted | Updated
Media Watch: On 16 May 2016, Media Watch criticised a front page Sydney Morning Herald story entitled ‘Grim warning’. One aspect of the criticism was that the story highlighted the carbon dioxide measurement of 400ppm (parts per million) – which the Cape Grim weather station was days away from recording – as being somehow significant, when in reality it is no more significant (except as a milestone) than 399 or 401ppm. Media Watch should have mentioned that the SMH story had in fact acknowledged this point (albeit on page 4). Another aspect of the criticism was that the 400ppm figure has been reached elsewhere before; the only significance of it occurring in Cape Grim is that it’s the first time it has happened in the Southern Hemisphere (where pollution is lower), and at a station where readings don’t fluctuate. Media Watch should also have mentioned that the story had acknowledged that 400ppm had been recorded several times already in the Northern Hemisphere. An on-air correction was broadcast on 20 June 2016, a note was added to the original story transcript pointing to the correction, and a link to the correction was placed on the Corrections section of the Media Watch website.
Professor Stephen Lincoln
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The Drum: On May 9 Professor Stephen Lincoln appeared on the program discussing South Australia’s energy options. The program should have made clear that while eminently qualified to speak on the subject, Professor Lincoln does have commercial links to the nuclear industry.
Antonov An-225
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News 24: On May 15, 2016 ABC News 24 referred to the Antonov freight aircraft which had landed in Perth as Russian. The aircraft was designed and constructed in Ukraine. ABC News 24 apologises for the error.
Music and Dementia
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Catalyst: On 8 March 2016, Catalyst stated that the idea of using personalised music as therapy for dementia patients had been introduced to Australia by Dr Maggie Haertsch of the Arts Health Institute. In fact, it had been in use by others prior to the Arts Health Institute’s work in this area. All versions of the program have been amended to correct this, and an editor’s note has been added to the transcript.
Papua New Guinea Shootings
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ABC News: On the afternoon of 8 June 2016, News Digital and News 24 briefly failed to properly attribute claims that four people had been killed in shootings during protests by students from the University of Papua New Guinea. The omissions were promptly corrected by News 24 and News Digital.
Sarah Paino
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Midday News: On 19 May, 2016, the Midday News reported that Sarah Paino was 32 weeks pregnant when she was struck and killed by a teen driver. It was incorrectly reported that Ms Paino’s baby was unable to be saved. In fact, the baby was safely delivered. This error was corrected for all other reports.
AFP Raids
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ABC News: On 21 May, 2016 the banners (introduction) to 7pm TV News in Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane and on News 24 incorrectly stated that Communications Minister, Mitch Fifield knew in advance about raids conducted by the Australian Federal Police on 19 May on the offices of Senator Stephen Conroy and the home of an ALP staffer. Mr Fifield actually said that he only knew that NBN Co had referred to the AFP the matter of alleged leaks of confidential documents. The full story within the bulletin was correct and the banners were corrected for news bulletins in other states and for ivew.
Peter O’Callaghan QC
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Lateline: On 17 March 2016 Lateline broadcast a report which referred to the Catholic Church’s files concerning child sex abuse. Mr Peter O’Callaghan QC, the Independent Commissioner for the Melbourne Response, was referred to in the report. The ABC has been informed by Peter O’Callaghan QC that he has produced all files requested by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. He has informed the ABC that he does not hold the files relating to clerical sexual abuse known as the ‘red files’. The ABC wishes to clarify that it is not suggested in any way by the ABC that Mr O’Callaghan, in his capacity as Independent Commissioner for the Melbourne Response, has withheld or failed to produce files relating to clerical sexual abuse or otherwise to the Police or the Royal Commission as required.
Peta Credlin
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News Online: On 17 May News Online published a story that asserted that Peta Credlin said candidates in Boothby and Dunkley did not campaign alongside the Prime Minister during his visits to their seats. The ABC accepts this was incorrect and Ms Credlin was specifically referring to their failure to appear alongside Malcolm Turnbull at the formal press conferences with reporters.
Trevor Jenkins Sentence
Posted | Updated
News Online: On 11 May News Online published a story stating that Northern Territory man, Trevor Jenkins was jailed for 14 days for contempt of court. He was sentenced to three months jail, to be suspended after 14 days.
Commonwealth Bank
Posted | Updated
Four Corners: On 2 May 2016 in a story on the housing market, Four Corners reported the case of an ABC journalist who alleged her loan application had been altered to inflate her salary. Four Corners said in the story this had been done by the Commonwealth Bank. That claim has been challenged by the bank and after further investigation Four Corners has been unable to substantiate the assertion that the bank altered her salary.
Superannuation Contributions Tax
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7.30: On 8 February, 7.30 reported that all superannuants pay the same flat rate of tax on their earnings. This is incorrect. Superannuants pay 15% contributions tax for income up to $300,000 p.a. For income over $300,000 p.a. superannuants pay 30%.
Evocca College
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News 24: On ABC News 24 on 22 March in a story on the collapse of Australian Careers Network, the following line was used: “The latest collapse follows the closure of Aspire, Keystone and Evocca colleges who all ceased trading in the last month.” This is incorrect. Evocca college has not ceased trading, it has closed 17 campuses but remains operational at other campuses. ABC News 24 apologises for the error.
British Visa Changes
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The World: On Monday 15 February, The World broadcast an interview with Thom Brooks, a professor of law and government at Durham University, to discuss changes to British visas for Australians and other non-EU citizens. The program failed to provide the material context that the changes discussed largely related to Tier 2 visas for skilled workers who want to settle. The program and interviewee incorrectly suggested that all Australians seeking to visit the UK will have to pay for NHS health services; this is not the case, the changes relate to people entering the UK on temporary migrant visas. The program also failed to inform viewers that Professor Brooks works for the British Labour Party. The interview has been removed from The World website and the ABC apologises for any confusion or misunderstanding.
Environmental impact of food production
Posted
News Online: On 18 December 2015 a story about the environmental impact of food production incorrectly attributed comments by researcher Michelle Tom to a study published by the Carnegie Mellon University. The story has also been amended to clarify the results of different scenarios in the study and the relationship between those scenarios and their impact on the environment.
