A leading QC and former Media Watch host has formed the opinion that an ABC web site contains content that is factually wrong, in breach of the ABC code of conduct and written by journalists who appear biased against CSG.Stuart Littlemore QC said that the web site that carried so called information on the the coal-seam gas industry had data and information that was inaccurate. He has also questioned the skill set of ABC journalists who contributed to the site including Wendy Carlisle, Jacinta Patterson and Brit-Helen Johansen
In an opinion seen by The Australian newspaper, Mr Littlemore said: “My opinion is that the ABC’s code was breached by, probably, the website’s publication of at least three frankly false representations of fact, and by the inescapable inference that the motivation for such tendentious misstatements of fact was bias on the part of the persons producing the matter at issue (or a failure to observe the standard of impartiality).”
LittleMore went on to say “The website identifies the journalists responsible for the publication in issue. I advise my instructing solicitor to include in any letter he writes to the ABC an inquiry as to the expert qualifications (if any) of the following journalists to write on the subject of CSG mining, and whether any of the named persons has participated in any extramural activity that involved opposition to CSG mining: Wendy Carlisle, Jacinta Patterson and Brit-Helen Johansen.”
The Australian said that the website has been criticised as “riddled with factual errors” by the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association, whose chief executive David Byers sent a complaint about the site to ABC managing director Mark Scott last week.
