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| Julie Bishop, Indonesia, boats and Guardian Australia | Julie Bishop, Indonesia, boats and Guardian Australia |
| (4 months later) | |
| We want to clarify an issue that has emerged from the Guardian’s interview with Julie Bishop, the deputy Liberal leader. | We want to clarify an issue that has emerged from the Guardian’s interview with Julie Bishop, the deputy Liberal leader. |
| The Guardian's political editor, Lenore Taylor, interviewed Bishop on 20 May. The interview was wide-ranging, but we judged that the most newsworthy part was Bishop's confidence that the Coalition could work in co-operation with Indonesia to achieve the Coalition's policy aim of turning back asylum seeker boats. | The Guardian's political editor, Lenore Taylor, interviewed Bishop on 20 May. The interview was wide-ranging, but we judged that the most newsworthy part was Bishop's confidence that the Coalition could work in co-operation with Indonesia to achieve the Coalition's policy aim of turning back asylum seeker boats. |
| In light of comments last Friday by the Indonesian ambassador to Australia reiterating that his country would not accept asylum seekers returned by Australia, the Guardian contacted Bishop on Sunday and asked her whether the ambassador’s comments changed the views she had expressed in the interview. | In light of comments last Friday by the Indonesian ambassador to Australia reiterating that his country would not accept asylum seekers returned by Australia, the Guardian contacted Bishop on Sunday and asked her whether the ambassador’s comments changed the views she had expressed in the interview. |
| Bishop responded that they did not. "I would expect the ambassador to say those things publicly," she said. | Bishop responded that they did not. "I would expect the ambassador to say those things publicly," she said. |
| After the report of the interview ran on Guardian Australia on Monday under the headline "Indonesia have agreed to co-operate in turning back boats, insists Coalition", Bishop contacted the Guardian to point out that as an opposition politician she could not make any such agreement. | After the report of the interview ran on Guardian Australia on Monday under the headline "Indonesia have agreed to co-operate in turning back boats, insists Coalition", Bishop contacted the Guardian to point out that as an opposition politician she could not make any such agreement. |
| Acknowledging the distinction between an agreement and an expectation that two parties could co-operate, the headline was changed at around 8.45am to "Indonesia 'would co-operate' with Coalition on boats", and, on the front page, for reasons of space, to "Bishop: Indonesia would co-operate on boats". | Acknowledging the distinction between an agreement and an expectation that two parties could co-operate, the headline was changed at around 8.45am to "Indonesia 'would co-operate' with Coalition on boats", and, on the front page, for reasons of space, to "Bishop: Indonesia would co-operate on boats". |
| At the same time the Guardian also inserted this paragraph into the story: "Bishop emphasised it was not possible to reach any agreement with a foreign government from opposition and no formal agreement with Indonesia had been reached." | At the same time the Guardian also inserted this paragraph into the story: "Bishop emphasised it was not possible to reach any agreement with a foreign government from opposition and no formal agreement with Indonesia had been reached." |
| At 9.53am Bishop's office issued a media statement criticising the Guardian report as a “beat up”, meaning “exaggerated”, and stating that Bishop has been selectively quoted. The statement said: | At 9.53am Bishop's office issued a media statement criticising the Guardian report as a “beat up”, meaning “exaggerated”, and stating that Bishop has been selectively quoted. The statement said: |
| “The Guardian online has used my quotes selectively to misrepresent the Coalition’s stance with regard to people smuggling policy. | “The Guardian online has used my quotes selectively to misrepresent the Coalition’s stance with regard to people smuggling policy. |
| “The journalist was told repeatedly that it was not possible for the Coalition, from opposition, to negotiate agreements with foreign governments. This unequivocal statement was omitted from the original story which drew the opposite conclusion. | “The journalist was told repeatedly that it was not possible for the Coalition, from opposition, to negotiate agreements with foreign governments. This unequivocal statement was omitted from the original story which drew the opposite conclusion. |
| “Since the Labor government weakened the Howard government’s border protection laws, more than 700 boats carrying more than 43,000 people have arrived on our shores. There have been hundreds of deaths at sea and a multi-billion dollar blowout in costs to the Australian taxpayer. | “Since the Labor government weakened the Howard government’s border protection laws, more than 700 boats carrying more than 43,000 people have arrived on our shores. There have been hundreds of deaths at sea and a multi-billion dollar blowout in costs to the Australian taxpayer. |
| “The resurgence in the people smuggling trade has placed both Australia and Indonesia under significant pressure. I am confident that, if elected to government, the Coalition will be able to work constructively with the Indonesian government on people smuggling issues. | “The resurgence in the people smuggling trade has placed both Australia and Indonesia under significant pressure. I am confident that, if elected to government, the Coalition will be able to work constructively with the Indonesian government on people smuggling issues. |
| “However, it is not possible for the Coalition, from opposition, to negotiate agreements publicly or privately with foreign governments.” | “However, it is not possible for the Coalition, from opposition, to negotiate agreements publicly or privately with foreign governments.” |
| Since all reports of long interviews necessarily select the parts regarded as newsworthy, we think the key issue was not that a selection had been made but rather whether the selected parts distorted the interview on the point selected, or were otherwise presented in a misleading way. | Since all reports of long interviews necessarily select the parts regarded as newsworthy, we think the key issue was not that a selection had been made but rather whether the selected parts distorted the interview on the point selected, or were otherwise presented in a misleading way. |
| Having double-checked with Bishop on Sunday in light of the ambassador's remarks, and having changed the headline in recognition of the subtle but diplomatically significant distinction between an agreement and an expectation of co-operation, the Guardian believes that it has accurately conveyed the substance of Bishop's comments on this issue in the interview. | Having double-checked with Bishop on Sunday in light of the ambassador's remarks, and having changed the headline in recognition of the subtle but diplomatically significant distinction between an agreement and an expectation of co-operation, the Guardian believes that it has accurately conveyed the substance of Bishop's comments on this issue in the interview. |
| Paraphrased plainly, we think Bishop said that notwithstanding what Indonesian officials may say in public, on the basis of private discussions with Indonesian officials she was convinced that the Coalition could work in co-operation with Indonesia to achieve the Coalition's policy aim. | Paraphrased plainly, we think Bishop said that notwithstanding what Indonesian officials may say in public, on the basis of private discussions with Indonesian officials she was convinced that the Coalition could work in co-operation with Indonesia to achieve the Coalition's policy aim. |
| Here is the relevant extract from the transcript of Lenore Taylor's discussion with Julie Bishop: | Here is the relevant extract from the transcript of Lenore Taylor's discussion with Julie Bishop: |
| Lenore Taylor: “On Indonesia, you always seem to say that you have had lots of discussions with Jakarta and you think you could manage the issue of turning back boats. Why do you think you could manage the issue of turning back boats given what Indonesian officials always say publicly? What do you know that we don't know about how about that could be managed?” | Lenore Taylor: “On Indonesia, you always seem to say that you have had lots of discussions with Jakarta and you think you could manage the issue of turning back boats. Why do you think you could manage the issue of turning back boats given what Indonesian officials always say publicly? What do you know that we don't know about how about that could be managed?” |
| Julie Bishop: “Well I am not at liberty to tell you. I have had a number of conversations with high-ranking Indonesian ministers and officials, as has [immigration spokesman] Scott Morrison as has [Coalition leader] Tony Abbott and I am convinced we can work in cooperation with Indonesia to achieve our policy aim.” | Julie Bishop: “Well I am not at liberty to tell you. I have had a number of conversations with high-ranking Indonesian ministers and officials, as has [immigration spokesman] Scott Morrison as has [Coalition leader] Tony Abbott and I am convinced we can work in cooperation with Indonesia to achieve our policy aim.” |
| Lenore Taylor: “So they would take boats back?” | Lenore Taylor: “So they would take boats back?” |
| Julie Bishop: “I am confident we would be able to achieve what we did in the past. The fact is they are Indonesian boats with Indonesian crew and I am sure we can work cooperatively with them and Lenore, one thing you understand about diplomacy and others do as well is the professional diplomats are paid to present, aah, particular views but what goes on behind the scenes can be quite different – what people say privately can be different to what they say publicly, that’s why I am devoting my time to quiet consistent diplomatic messaging and relationships.” | Julie Bishop: “I am confident we would be able to achieve what we did in the past. The fact is they are Indonesian boats with Indonesian crew and I am sure we can work cooperatively with them and Lenore, one thing you understand about diplomacy and others do as well is the professional diplomats are paid to present, aah, particular views but what goes on behind the scenes can be quite different – what people say privately can be different to what they say publicly, that’s why I am devoting my time to quiet consistent diplomatic messaging and relationships.” |
| Let us know what you think. | Let us know what you think. |
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