Nine’s Newspapers Regretful Over “Wrong” Reporting On Prominent Travel Agency

Some newspaper, stacked on bokeh background

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age have published “correction” statements for their reporting on a meeting between Joe Hockey and a former Helloworld Travel executive.

In identical statements published yesterday, the two Nine-owned newspapers acknowledged the accusations they made in articles on Friday were “wrong” in suggesting that a meeting between Hockey, who is Australia’s ambassador to the US, and former Helloworld exec Russell Carstensen in 2017 led to Helloworld winning a competitive tender run by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age also acknowledged that Hockey told DFAT about his friendship with Helloworld CEO Andrew Burnes and his shareholding in the company prior to the meeting, and then “excused himself from all matters relating to the procurement of travel services”.

You can view the statements published in the Nine mastheads below:

The Sydney Morning Herald correction statement for Helloworld

The Age correction statement for Helloworld

Helloworld noted in a statement to shareholders yesterday that there were no travel management procurement processes underway for DFAT in the US at the time of the meeting.

“Helloworld Travel reiterates that its executives and staff have acted with integrity and honesty at all times,” the statement said.




Latest News

Cosmo Returns To Australia!
  • Media

Cosmo Returns To Australia!

Ever get the feeling we've weirdly warped back to 1988 at the moment? Confirm it with the relaunch of Cosmo in print.

Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
  • Media

Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm

Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]

Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
  • Advertising

Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth

The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA  Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]