Independent ‘shut out’ of community forum

Independent candidate for Balmain Jon Shapiro has lodged a complaint with the Press Council against the Inner West Courier newspaper, after receiving what he claims is inadequate coverage in the newspaper’s follow-up reportage of the event.

At the event, a debate between the three ‘major party’ candidates for Balmain organised by the Courier, Mr Shapiro was allowed to address the crowd for just over five minutes towards the end of the meeting to outline his election platform.

However, he was not allowed to take part as a candidate, since independent and minor party candidates had caused “trouble” in previous forums by hijacking proceedings.

Mr Shapiro’s complaint centres around what he alleges to be a lack of sufficient coverage in the Courier of his election platform and campaign to promote constitutional reform.

“I talked to [Courier editor] Simon Holt on the phone, and he said he didn’t have a problem with me making a complaint to the Press Council; the only thing he wanted to point out was that other reportage had failed to mention me,” Mr Shapiro said. “But if indeed that is the case, it still doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have reported it – the logical conclusion is that everyone should have a complaint made against them, not no-one.”

“Not receiving equal time as a candidate, and being completely ignored in the local press, is not a peripheral irritation, but is centrally relevant to my project of reforming our law-making process.”