murdoch responds on turnbull preference claims

Murdoch responds on Turnbull preference claims

Posted Tue Nov 13, 2007 5:40pm AEDT
Updated Tue Nov 13, 2007 6:48pm AEDT


Media owner Rupert Murdoch has been asked about a report that his journalist Caroline Overington has tried to influence preferences in the seat of Wentworth. (News Limited: New Limited)

Claws out over Turnbull preferences claims
News Corporation chairman Rupert Murdoch says disciplinary action would be taken against any reporter who tried privately to influence political candidates in the name of one of the company's publications.

High-profile independent candidate for the Sydney seat of Wentworth, Danielle Ecuyer, says a journalist with The Australian, Caroline Overington, tried to pressure her to direct preferences to the sitting Liberal MP and Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Asked about the story at a shareholders' meeting in Adelaide today, Mr Murdoch said he was unaware of the reported incident.

He says the company cannot restrict the private actions of individuals.

"If they're doing it in the name of the paper ... we would more than discourage it, we would take disciplinary action," Mr Murdoch said.

"It's a free world and a reporter is entitled to his opinions as much as anybody else. I'm sorry about that."

Ms Ecuyer said she would complain to the Australian Electoral Commission over an email from Ms Overington which said: "Please preference Malcolm. It would be such a good front-page story."

Ms Overington says the email was the continuation of an earlier joke, but Ms Ecuyer says the journalist is trying to cover her tracks.

Mr Turnbull says he knows nothing about the reports.

He says he first heard about the correspondence when it appeared on the ABC's Media Watch program last night.

"I didn't know she was having what appears to be a fairly tongue-in-cheek email correspondence and I didn't know about that until it was on television," he said.

"I haven't spoken to her about it since then."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/13/2089856.htm