Codeine correction
Posted
Hack: On Monday January 18, Hack published a story about how rapper 360 survived his codeine addiction. The article referred to his addiction to Nurofen, rather than Nurofen Plus. Nurofen does not contain codeine, whereas Nurofen Plus does. All versions of this story online have been amended.
Coarse language
Posted
RN: No warning was given about coarse language used during an interview with Mary Norris, copy editor for The New Yorker magazine, on RN's Late Night Live on 2 December. The language was editorially justifiable and in keeping with section 7.1 of the Editorial Policies, but the audience should have been warned in advance or an apology made at the time of broadcast in keeping with section 7.2.
Apology to John McCleary
Posted
News Online: On 5 October 2015, the ABC published an article which referred to a statement by a local resident referencing the CEO of the Shire of Cue, John McCleary, as having misappropriated taxpayer funds to spend on the spa or otherwise using taxpayer money for his own gain. The ABC acknowledges that Mr McCleary did not misappropriate taxpayer funds to spend on the spa or otherwise use taxpayer money for his own gain and apologises to Mr McCleary for any harm caused by the article.
Gig Peeling Factory Thailand
Posted
PM: On 15 December 2015, PM reported that the Gig Peeling Factory in Thailand, which is implicated in allegations of the use of slave labour, is owned by Thai Union. This was incorrect. The Gig Peeling Factory has supplied seafood to Thai Union but is not owned by that company. The story was followed up by ABC Rural on 17 December. All versions of this story on air and online have been amended.
Jeyakumar Janakaraj
Posted | Updated
ABC News: On 13 November 2015 ABC Local News in Queensland, News Breakfast and News 24 News broadcast a story which suggested that the Chief Executive of Adani Australia, Mr Jeyakumar Janakaraj, had a ‘criminal history’. This was incorrect. Mr Janakaraj was director of operations of KCM, a mining company operating in Zambia, when the company was charged and pleaded guilty in 2010 with causing a serious pollution spill. No criminal or other charges were brought against Mr Janakaraj in relation to this or any other matter. ABC News apologises to Mr Janakaraj.
Gun Ownership
Posted
7pm News: On 1 November 7pm News reported that 16 year olds can “own a gun”. ABC News clarifies that while 16 year olds may attain a gun licence and use a gun under adult supervision, they cannot own a gun.
Between the Lines on Srebrenica
Posted
RN: During a Between the Lines segment on 'Srebrenica: The massacres that forced America to act after years of bloodshed' it was claimed that 300,000 people died during the Bosnian civil war from 1992 to 1995. This figure is hotly debated and various sources estimate that that figure is in fact somewhere between 100,000 to 300,000. We note that the UN ICTY estimate (http://www.icty.org/en/about/what-former-yugoslavia/conflicts) is 'more than 100,000'.
Apology to Mr John Knight
Posted | Updated
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
Posted
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
Posted
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
Posted
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
Posted
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
Posted
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
Posted
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
Posted
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
Posted
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
Posted | Updated
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
Posted
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
Posted
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
Posted
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
Posted
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
Posted
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
Posted
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
Posted
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
Posted
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.
