REGION (Pacific Media Watch): The ongoing controversy of Australia’s Nine Network alleged deal with the family of the young boy held in Indonesia on drug possession charges refuses to go away.
In today’s Sydney Morning Herald, the editor of the Sunday Telegraph, Neil Breen, stood by his story that publicist Grant Vandenburg was the go-between man for the deal.
Vandenburg has continued to deny the deal took place, and both the boy’s parents as well as the Nine Network representatives maintain that there was no deal.
But Breen is quoted as saying the denials were the “oddest” he can remember.
Publicity over the alleged deal, reportedly worth $300,000, may have already harmed the boy’s situation.
Fairfax media reported last week that the head of Indonesia's National Commission on Child Protection believed his case has been prejudiced and if the deal was struck, the parents should carry a good part of the blame.
It was feared last week that the deal would harm the boy’s chances of being set free into the custody of his parents to return home, rather than face rehabilitation or even jail time in Indonesia’s prisons.
Last week, Peter Alford reported in the Australian newspaper that the Nine Network released a letter to the lawyers of the boy and his family which categorically stated there was never any deal.
Yet Vandenburg’s ambiguous denials do not correlate with the force of Nine’s statement.
The Herald’s story today quoted the conversation between the journalist and Vandenburg:
''Mate, there is no deal.''
''I know, but was there a deal?
''Mate, I don't want to … there is no deal.''
Journalists and commentators in the region speculate that as soon as a decision is made in the boy’s case, the deal would be back on between the two parties.
Initial reports of the alleged deal between the parents and the Nine Network's 60 Minutes programme were featured by the Sunday Telegraph, The Sydney Morning Herald and other media a week ago and were subsequently denied by both the family and company.
(cc) Creative Commons
Alex Perrottet
