Putting the Daily Telegraph on notice

Front Page of Daily Telegraph 24 December 2015Sea Shepherd Australia has obtained legal advice in regards to an article set out to deliberately attack Sea Shepherd published in the Daily Telegraph brandishing a large image of the Sea Shepherd flag and logo in a front page article on Christmas Eve, labelling Sea Shepherd as “Shark Wits.”

In a Concerns Notice written to both the Daily Telegraph and News Corporation Australia on behalf of Sea Shepherd Australia, it is stated that the article titled “Greenies caught up in drum line sabotage scandal” makes a number of serious and untrue allegations and false imputations against Sea Shepherd and that the article was replicated in a number of other New Corporation outlets such as The Australian, The Courier Mail, The Herald Sun and The Advertiser.

National Shark Campaign Coordinator for Sea Shepherd Australia, Natalie Banks has previously categorically denied that anyone of the Sea Shepherd crew tampered with the drum lines and has stated that she is disgusted by the way the Daily Telegraph reported the situation.

“At no time did anyone from the Daily Telegraph contact Sea Shepherd for comment, which would have provided a more balanced article,” Natalie said.

“There are at least 10 specific defamatory statements within the article which not only are demonstrably false, but seriously puts at risk the reputation of Sea Shepherd.”

As a result, through its solicitors, Sea Shepherd has requested that all online versions of the article are removed and an unqualified retraction and public apology is published.

In a separate move, Sea Shepherd Australia has written a letter to the Editor of the Daily Telegraph and has made an official complaint to the Australian Press Council regarding the article, which previously found the journalist responsible, Geoff Chambers and the Daily Telegraph had on another occasion previously provided inaccurate and misleading information to readers.

The Daily Telegraph and News Corporation have been requested to publish an apology and a retraction of the article for no less than 14 days from Monday 18 January on the websites of the Daily Telegraph, The Australian, The Courier Mail, The Herald Sun and The Advertiser. It remains unknown whether this request will be met.

Visit our  Operation Apex Harmony site for more information