Brisbane Times censured for failure to give right of reply to city councillor over arrest story
The Brisbane Times has been censured for failing to give a city councillor adequate right of reply in an article about her being arrested for being drunk in a public space.
On the morning of April 13 the Fairfax owned online publication used the headline ‘Councillor Nicole Johnston charged with being drunk in a public place’, referring to an incident in which the councillor was “charged with being drunk in a public place” and referred to the councillor being “ejected from the council chamber 39 times since 2010” for “inappropriate behaviour”.
The article also said the police had been called to “forcibly remove her” from the chamber a number of times.
The complaint raised by Cr Johnston said the statement that she had been “forcibly removed” from Council chambers had been misleading. Johnston said said had been asked to leave in accordance with Council regulations.
