The Sydney Morning Herald claimed politician Andrew Hastie, a Parliament member, met a “convicted neo-Nazi criminal” at a white South African farmer rally. The rally in question was in Perth, Australia, and called for “the Australian government to give refuge to white South African farmers,” the Guardian reported.
Now, the Herald is apologizing for its May 3 article, “At least we have a choice – social democracy or Trumpified Liberal Party.”
The May 9 Sydney Morning Herald apology reads:
“On 3 May an article (”At last we have a choice – social democracy or Trumpified Liberal Party”) asserted that Mr Hastie, a Liberal Party Member of Parliament, had met convicted neo-Nazi criminal Neil Erikson at a rally for white South African farmers. The SMH accepts that this statement is untrue and without foundation. The SMH withdraws this statement and apologises unreservedly to Mr Hastie for the harm and embarrassment caused.”
In 2017, CNN reported that Erikson was found guilty of inciting contempt for Muslims and that he is a “self-proclaimed former neo-Nazi.”
iMediaEthics has written to Hastie and the Sydney Morning Herald.