Walkley Foundation withholds review into award for Channel 9 story on Andrew Laming
The nation’s most prestigious media awards have failed to make public the findings of a review into an award given to two Channel 9 journalists for a defamatory report on Andrew Laming.
A review into the legitimacy of a Walkley Award given to Channel 9 for a news report that was subsequently discredited has been completed, but the findings are unlikely to be released before the awards foundation holds its annual gala event this week.
On March 21, 2021, 9News Queensland aired a report that claimed then federal MP Andrew Laming took an inappropriate “upskirting” photo of a female worker while she was stacking a bar fridge.
Dr Laming was interviewed by police about the alleged incident – he denied any wrongdoing and no charges were laid.
At the 2021 Walkley Awards (the ceremony was held in February this year, due to Covid postponements), Nine journalists Peter Fegan and Rebeka Powell won the television/video news reporting category for their entry titled, “The Investigation of Andrew Laming” in relation to his alleged misconduct.
At the time the two reporters received the award, their report was already the subject of defamation action by Dr Laming.
In September, Dr Laming and Nine reached a court settlement that resulted in Nine being liable for more than $1m in damages and legal costs. The network also apologised to Dr Laming, and “unreservedly” withdrew the allegations the network had made against him.
Two days later, the Walkley Foundation commissioned a review of its “complaints mechanisms” amid the fallout from the decision to grant one of its journalism awards to a story that was subsequently discredited.
The review, conducted by Melbourne-based barrister William Houghton KC, was completed last week, but the findings – which are likely to recommend whether or not the award in question should be rescinded – is not expected to be made public before the 2022 Walkley Awards ceremony, which will be held in Sydney on Thursday.
A spokesman for the foundation declined to answer questions, and chief executive Shona Martyn did not return calls from The Australian.
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