It really does matter who you are, and where you come from

Well-known anti-choice activists and several women with links to Opus Dei recently became directors of Women’s Forum Australia, which asserts feminist grounds for opposing the drug regulator’s control over RU486, transparent advertising requirements for pregnancy counselling organisations and stem cell research.

The Coalition Against the Decriminalisation of Abortion seems like a new pro-life grass roots organisation, but shares a mailing address with Catch the Fire Ministries. In its first year of operation, Cadoa found about $34,000 to fund anti-decriminalisation newspaper ads.

What can be done? The code of ethics binding journalists requires them to be honest, to refrain from suppressing or distorting relevant facts, to refuse to allow personal interest, or any belief, commitment, payment, gift or benefit to undermine their independence and to disclose conflicts of interest that affect - or could be seen to affect - their independence.

Perhaps the time has come for other media participants to be asked to conform to similar ethical standards. Anyone who really wishes to conduct their dealings transparently shouldn’t find it too hard to work out what disclosures are required.

Beyond this, the best the public and decision-makers can do is to approach the credentials and disclosures offered by media players with scepticism. They may be complete, accurate and relevant. Then again, they may not.