“Racist & Vilifying” Palm Island Residents Launch Human Rights Complaint Against Nine And The Daily Mail

“Racist & Vilifying” Palm Island Residents Launch Human Rights Complaint Against Nine And The Daily Mail

Residents of Palm island have launched a human rights complaint against Channel Nine and the Daily Mail over what they are calling ‘racist’ and ‘vilifying’ reports.

The complaint is in regard to a Nine investigation, which aired in May, which claimed residents of Palm Island spent “lavishly” on luxury four-wheel drives and sports cars which were “bought in bulk”, after the Queensland government agreed to pay residents a $30 million settlement in 2018 over the police response to 2004 riots.

 “The police station was burnt down with officers inside … Now hundreds of locals have received massive taxpayer-funded compensation cheques.”

“New sports cars with custom paint jobs, luxury boats paid for in cash — a taste of what $30 million of taxpayer money is being spent on,” the Nine report said.

The Daily Mail published a follow-up story with the headline: “How locals have blown much of the $30 million compensation given to them after the Palm Island riots on lavish goods.”

Some claimants of the settlement are now seeking redress for these media reports, which they say breached Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.

They will sign a document which will be sent by Levitt Robinson Solicitors to the Australian Human Rights Commission this week, according to ABC News.

“Palm Island recipients of compensation … were largely vilified and great offence was caused to them by virtue of the suggestion that they were not entitled to receive that money, that they were spending it irresponsibly,” principal lawyer Stewart Levitt told the ABC.

Nine’s reporter Alex Heinke, and Dailymail.com Australia are subject to the complaint.

Nine declined to comment.

 




Please login with linkedin to comment

Daily Mail Nine

Latest News

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 […]