Fairfax Media has apologised to the Humpty Dumpty Foundation, a children’s charity, for an article that underestimated the charity’s return on donations.
“The article ‘Humpty Dumpty’s not so charitable return’ published on December 5 incorrectly understated the amount of money paid to benefit children by the Humpty Dumpty Foundation ,” the Sydney Morning Herald said in a prominent apology on Thursday.
“In portraying the money raised to benefit children, the article omitted to include about $10 million in fundraising – received in the form of paid pledges – over a 14-year period.
“The Herald accepts that pledges in the foundation’s accounts have in fact been paid by donors and used by the foundation to purchase lifesaving medical equipment for sick children.”
The newspaper said the error was because of a misreading of the financial accounts.
“The Herald has removed the article and unreservedly apologises to the Humpty Dumpty Foundation and its donors for the distress and harm it has caused.”
In a personal letter to the foundation’s board, the editor-in-chief of the Sydney Morning Herald, Darren Goodsir, said the article’s errors were so fundamental, he had removed it from the online edition.
“In closing I recognise that the incorrect and misleading information in the article must have been distressing for you as the key people involved in the foundation,” Goodsir said.
His letter has been published on the Humpty Dumpty Foundation website.
Fairfax rival the Australian was quick to report on the Herald’s stoush with the charity, and has published two stories about the “error-riddled news story”.
A report in the Australian on Friday claimed the foundation was considering legal action against the publication “pending a retraction this weekend”.
Guardian Australia has approached the SMH about whether another retraction is due.
The Humpty Dumpty Foundation’s executive chairman and founder, Paul Francis, posted a message to supporters on his website, saying the financial position of the foundation had been distorted.
“Between 1996 and December 2014, HDF has purchased medical equipment worth more than $20 million,” Francis said. “Outside of the NSW government, the charity is the largest supplier of children’s medical equipment in this state.”
The foundation’s board members include the broadcaster Ray Martin, the former Wallaby and philanthropist Phil Kearns and the former NSW Liberal leader Kerry Chikarovski.
