MINISTER & JOURNALISTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 April 1945, Page 3

MINISTER & JOURNALISTS

CRITICISM RESENTED

MELBOURNE, April 26. Strong protests against the criticism of war correspondents offered by the Minister for Post-War Reconstruction (Mr. Dedman) in the House of Ptepresentatives on Tuesday have been made by the Australian Journalists’ Association and the Australian Newspaper Proprietors’ Association. Mr. Dedman, speaking during the debate on army equipment, had said that Press correspondents had tried to force themselves into the Pacific area against the wishes of those who were directing operations. They had done a great deal of harm. No reliance could be placed on statements by Press correspondents who had all along been antagonistic to those directing operations. “Mr. Dedman’s statement is a gratuitous insult, to all newspaper correspondents who have risked their lives to report operations of the war,” said the chairman of the Australian Newspaper Proprietors’ Association (Mr. R. S. Henderson). “I think I am right in saying that practically every Australian newspaper correspondent engaged in reporting war in the Pacific has served as a soldier in the present war, and was released by the Army to become a correspondent. They are all highly skilled and responsible reporters. These men live the same life and take the same risks as-troops. The casualty rate among them has been high and a high percentage of them have been decorated for bravery against the enemy. The youngest and least, experienced of them is infinitely more competent to express an opinion regarding what is occurring in the Pacific than Mr. Dedman ot' any other member of the Curtin Government, if first-hand knowledge and experience is the criterion.” A resolution by the Council of Australian Journalists’ Association stated: “Australian war correspondents have won renown lor their work in war zones. Several have lost their lives in devotion to their hazardous duty, and finding truth in their reporting. Contrary to Mr. Dedman’s statements, war correspondents have been of immense value.”