Plastic surgeon Dr. Peter Haertsch, who won a defamation case following a story on A Curent Affair, has been awarded $267,919 in damages.
The burns specialist sued Nine over a 2008 story on a Gold Coast ‘meter maid’ whose breast implants went horribly wrong. In the report the woman described her stitches bursting before the implants began falling out. It incorrectly alleged Haertsch had been banned from operating in Queensland and branded him a ‘disgraced plastic surgeon.’
Haertsch told the NSW Supreme Court his interview responses were heavily edited and manipulated and “in no way” reflected his answers. He said the woman in the story had ignored his advice before and after the surgery.
He said his reputation had been threatened since the ACA story, his marriage put under strain, he had become introverted and unsociable, lost weight and had difficulty sleeping.
Haertsch, who heads the burns unit at Sydney’s Concord Hospital, was called an “unsung Australian hero” by his barrister Stuart Littlemore QC during the court case.
Costs are to be settled at a later date.
Source: Daily Telegraph
How could ACA even consider doing a story on a doctor like this, it should have been $1,000,000 Compensation, ACA might then learn a good lesson.
I don’t understand how these shows like A Current Affair and Today Tonight continue to rate so well.They are both as pathetic as each other and are nothing more than gutter tabloid crap.
The fine should be larger, enough to put them off air permanently. Why do people watch this rubbish and accept it as “journalism”? I have to laugh at the stories they make up, sorry, “investigate”, but then I have to wonder how many people believe that what they are seeing passes for unbiased news…
Can people complain about this kind of shoddy programme making on the Freeview website?
@george – at least algae has a purpose in life and is useful (it helps poo decompose). It’s definitely more useful to the world than ACA and TT, so please don’t diss the single-celled lifeforms any more okay?
FJ, could not have put it better myself
just look at their “reporters”
All D grade trash, I mean Ben Fordham is like a little schoolkid desperate for his break, and just cant get it. They are all rubbish bottom of the barrel algae feeders.
This journalism is nothing new for ACA. For years, they have been scraping the bottom of the barrel trying to keep up with the ratings Joneses. Word-of-mouth does get around and their ratings continue to plummet. It shouldn’t be too long before this rubbish is off our screens.
“Mr. Simpson, your silence will only incriminate you further! (the frozen image of Homer begins to slowly zoom in) No, Mr. Simpson, don’t take your anger out on me! Get back! Get back! M-Mr. Simpson! Noooo!
(freeze frames on the screaming Godfrey)
Announcer: Dramatization may not have happened.”
Noone better than Tracey Grimshaw to create awareness of plastic surgery horror stories.
That is great news. When are these sort of shows going to realise the days of marching up to someone an putting a camera in their face are over. It is really gutter journalism and I rarely believe ACA stories. True justice now would be for ACA to spend the same air time explaining the out-come of the court case including how the woman didn’t tke his advice after surgery.I day eat your humble pie Channel 9!
Wonder if ACA will be forced to make an apology on air as part of the ruling?
Should have been more. I really doubt $268,000 is enough to stop them making up stories.
Get rid of Grimshaw and her garbage show.