Left-wing activist Carla McGrath refuses to quit Press Council

Carla McGrath, deputy chair of activist group GetUp!, was asked to exit the Press Council over doubts about her impartiality.

Carla McGrath is set to be removed from the board of the Australian Press Council.

The deputy chair of activist group GetUp! has refused a request to quit the board of the Australian Press Council.

Left-wing activist Carla McGrath joined the APC in May 2017 as a public member but her appointment was criticised by sections of the media.

In a resolution passed today, and foreshadowed by The Australian’s Media Diary on Monday, the council asked Ms McGrath to resign but she argued her resignation was not necessary, the council said in a statement.

The APC said it will now take steps to “remove” her by the next meeting in August.

The Press Council said in a statement that it had found McGrath’s involvement with the activist group to be “incompatible with her continued role” on the board.

“Public members need to not only reflect the community, they must also be independent and be seen as independent,” Press Council chair Neville Stevens said.

“The Council noted that GetUp! has taken a public position on a range of issues and takes action on these, including raising funds for and actively campaigning against some sitting politicians.

“The Council considered that the nature and extent of these activities result in a conflict between Carla McGrath’s interest as Deputy Chair of GetUp! and her duties as a public member of the Council which is irreconcilable and likely to continue.

“This will inevitably give rise to the perception of a lack of independence of the Council itself.”

Council members are now required to disclose any possible conflicts of interest and the council considered these at today’s meeting.

After examining written declarations submitted by all council members as to their external affiliations, it decided that McGrath’s impartiality was compromised

Stevens acknowledged that McGrath, as a respected member of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, would have brought an important perspective to the work of the Council, but emphasised the overriding need for the Council to be, and be seen as, independent.

The Press Council said in its statement that it remained committed to increasing diversity among its public members and adjudication panel members.

‘A welcome move’

Liberal Senator Eric Abetz said the development was “overdue but nonetheless welcome”.

Senator Abetz criticised the appointment when it was made, in June 2017, saying that the Press Council should reconsider.

“The fact it has taken a year, a new conflicts policy and legal advice for the Press Council to figure out what many knew straight away is concerning,” he said.

“Clearly the appointment was inappropriate at the time and it is sad that it’s taken this long for them to realise.

“The Press Council plays an important role that relies on independence and respect. This appointment, along with a number of other appointments in recent years, have regrettably tainted the Council’s independence and lowered its standing in the community.

“While this decision is very much overdue, I am pleased that they have finally taken action and hope the Press Council will now focus on rebuilding trust and its reputation.”

A question of impartiality

Today’s decision came after the board commissioned an independent report into the effect of McGrath’s appointment on the Press Council’s independence.

The report, prepared by law firm Mills Oakley, found that there might be a perception that McGrath would not be able to act impartially, due to her public stance on contentious issues and the fact she had actively campaigned against sitting politicians, according to Fairfax.

McGrath’s appointment in June last year was panned by senior journalists across the political spectrum, and was variously described as “curious”, “weird, not good” and “disastrous”.

Former Press Council chairman David Weisbrot quit after questions were raised about her appointment, while The Australian and other News Corp publications refused to follow any adjudication in which she had taken part.

McGrath did not adjudicate any Press Council decisions, having deferred any such action in the wake of the controversy. However, she dug in following persistent calls for her to resign.

Press Council chairman Neville Stevens last month admitted the activist’s appointment had damaged the body’s reputation for independence, telling the Melbourne Press Club: “The appointment of Carla McGrath to the council in the middle of last year and the re­action to that appointment threw into question the independence of the council.”