Australian Press Council chair David Weisbrot resigns over controversial appointment

THE chair of the Australian Press Council, David Weisbrot, has resigned following a controversial appointment to the newspaper watchdog.

Moving on. David Weisbrot, chairman of the Australian Press Council, has resigned, citing a ‘campaign of misinformation’ for his departure. Picture: Britta Campion

THE chair of the Australian Press Council has resigned following ongoing criticisms over the appointment of left-wing activist group GetUp! deputy chair Carla McGrath to the newspaper watchdog.

Professor David Weisbrot, who was appointed chair of the council in 2015, took a parting shot at the media as he announced his resignation tonight, saying criticisms from editors, politicians, publishers and the journalists’ union at the election of Ms McGrath were fuelled by a “campaign of misinformation”.

Ms McGrath’s appointment as a Press Council member has stirred serious concerns among editors, publishers and the journalists’ union, who fear the potential conflicts of interest that could arise from her connection to GetUp! and its brand of partisan political activism. Newspaper editors in every capital city joined in boycotting testimony and not accepting Press Council adjudications in which Ms McGrath takes part.

GetUp! deputy chair Carla McGrath. Picture: Supplied

News Corp representative on the Council, Glenn Stanaway said he was disappointed by Professor Weisbrot’s resignation but that he stood by his criticism of Ms McGrath’s appointment.

“I admire David Weisbrot, he did a fine job at the council and I am saddened that my representations warning of the predicament the council would find itself in if it appointed the deputy chair of GetUp as a public member has come to this,” he said.

“I stand by my view that the deputy chair of GetUp is not an appropriate person to represent the public on the council.”

In his letter of resignation, Professor Weisbrot said the reason for leaving was “persistent personal attacks” and a campaign of “misinformation” over the council’s appointment of Ms McGrath as a public member to the council.

“My heart is simply no longer in the job, and it’s a difficult enough job at the best of times,” he said.

Professor Weisbrot firmly stood by Ms McGrath’s appointment saying she was appointed in a “fair and open process”.

Professor Weisbrot firmly stood by Ms McGrath’s appointment, saying she was appointed in a “fair and open process”. Picture: Britta Campion

“In fact, the whole appointment process was carried out with careful attention to good process and the requirements set down by the Council’s Constitution,” he said.

The council voted to appoint Ms McGrath as a public member last month by 14-1, with one abstention. However, that count has since shifted, with Press Council members including the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance withdrawing support for Ms McGrath and Daily Mail Australia saying it voted against her.

“For the record, the basis of these attacks is thoroughly misconceived, suggesting that the appointment of a public member to the Council is within the gift of the Chair, and that I have the authority unilaterally to ‘rescind’ that appointment,” Professor Weisbrot said.

Those “attacks” included criticisms from the MEAA, independent senator Nick Xenophon and former Press Council chair David Flint who all called on Ms McGrath to resign from either the Press Council or GetUp!

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield, the Labor opposition and Senate crossbench also denounced her appointment.

ABC Media Watch host Paul Barry also agreed with criticism of Ms McGrath’s appointment, which he recently said was “always likely to weaken an organisation that, now more than ever, needs the respect of everyone in and outside the media”.

The Press Council has continued to defend Ms McGrath’s appointment, arguing that she would be quarantined from any adjudications where a “real or perceived” conflict of interest could arise.

The vice-chairs of the Australian Press Council expressed their “deep regret” at Professor Weisbrot’s decision to step down which was made despite efforts to convince him to stay.

Professor Weisbrot will finish up with the organisation on July 18.

Originally published as Australian Press Council chair David Weisbrot resigns over controversial appointment