Latest Corrections
ABC News is committed to correcting significant errors when they occur. Individual program sites and news stories carry their own corrections and clarifications, but this site aggregates these in one place. Errors are sometimes brought to our attention by audience members. If you wish to draw our attention to errors, go to our contact page.
Tuesday, March 9 2010
Exchange rates
7pm ABC TV News
On March 5, the ABC reported that the exchange rate between the pound sterling and Australian dollar was the strongest it had been in 40 years, at 60 pence to the dollar. In fact, the dollar reached 70 pence in December 1984, 26 years ago.Monday, March 8 2010
Thailand leader
7pm TV News, NSW
On February 26, in a story about the trial of former Thailand Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, the ABC incorrectly reported that he was the former Head of State. The King of Thailand is the Head Of State, King Bhumibol Adulyadej.Tuesday, March 2 2010
NSW Floods
News Online, 7pm ABC TV News, NSW
Between December 31, 2009, and January 2, 2010, in stories about flooding in NSW, the ABC incorrectly reported that the towns Brewarrina and Narrabri were "north of Bourke". The original mistake was a subediting error in that two sentences were combined and it should have read "... as well as towns north of Bourke". Also the below online story reported that the main access roads to Narrabri were "still closed by floodwaters". In fact, only some of the roads in the Narrabri district had been closed.Thursday, February 25 2010
Ipswich Motorway
7pm TV News, Queensland
On November 29, in a story about the opening of an upgraded section of the Ipswich Motorway, the ABC incorrectly reported that the Howard Government believed the upgrade for the Ipswich / Logan Motorway interchange to be “impossible”, and instead proposed a bypass. Also, the story should have included the fact that funding for the Ipswich Motorway upgrade was originally announced by the Howard government.Wednesday, February 24 2010
Foil insulation
7pm TV News, Lateline
On February 10, in stories about the suspension of the use of foil insulation in the Federal Government’s insulation program, the ABC was not specific enough about the exact causes of death. Specifically, three men had died since the program commenced as a result of electrocution: two from installers stapling through foil insulation and a third contacted an existing electrical fault in the ceiling. A fourth man died from heat exhaustion.Tuesday, February 23 2010
National Service
7pm TV News
On February 14, in a story about Australians who had served National Service in the armed forces, the ABC incorrectly reported that both men and women were called up. In fact only men were conscripted into National Service.Obama comments
7pm TV News
On January 11, in a story about damaging comments made by US Senator Harry Reid about President Obama prior to Mr Obama’s election, a graphic in the story recorded one of the quotes saying Mr Obama “.. had no Negro dialect.” The punctuation is incorrect as the original sentence continued beyond that point. It should have read “.. had no Negro dialect..”. The complete quote read “.. had no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one.”Tuesday, February 16 2010
Maggie Beer
The Midday Report
On February 1, in live interview with the recipient of Senior Australian of the Year, Maggie Beer, the presenter posed a question to her about “the health benefits of buying local” produce. The ABC acknowledges that any health benefits of buying local produce is not necessarily established fact.Edible vaccine
7.30 Report
On December 29, in a story about the development of a vaccine that can be taken orally and alleviates the need to use needles, the ABC incorrectly reported that the scientist was creating “the very first edible vaccines”. In fact, the sabin vaccine used to immunise against polio was the first.Monday, February 15 2010
Kangaroo story
7pm TV News, News Online
On December 21, 2009, in a story about claims that farmers in Queensland are facing a 'plague' of kangaroos, the ABC did not include an alternative viewpoint to the farming industry, and claims that the kangaroos had reached 'plague' proportions and become a 'pest' in Queensland should have been attributed to the farming industry, not stated as fact. The online video has been removed.Bob Carter
Online News
On February 8, in a story about calls to reform the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the ABC incorrectly referred to Dr Bob Carter as a marine biologist. In fact, he is a marine geologist.Westfield shares
7pm TV News
On February 5, during the finance segment the reporter said that Westfield shares “dropped 74 cents” but did not mention that the stocks had gone ‘Ex Dividend’.
