Government News would like to acknowledge that an article that appeared on our website on 18 November 2009 entitled 'Disgraced Bayswater councillor rejects calls for resignation' contained a number of false and defamatory statements about councillor Terry Blanchard (which included and repeated statements made by others).

In particular we accept that our article erroneously suggested that councillor Blanchard was guilty (and had been found guilty by the West Australian Corruption and Crime Commission) of corruption and misconduct in respect to the award of a council contract, and failing to declare a financial interest in a proposed contract.

Government News now acknowledges that these allegations about councillor Blanchard were and are all false and baseless.

We accept that neither the CCC nor any other body has concluded that councillor Blanchard has been guilty of any misconduct or corruption in respect to his conduct as a councillor (or in any other capacity), that councillor Blanchard has not conducted himself in any such way, and that councillor Blanchard did not fail to declare any such relevant interest.

We also accept that neither the Western Australia Corruption and Crime Commission, nor any other official body, has suggested, at any time, that criminal proceedings might or could be brought against councillor Blanchard, and that there is no basis for any suggestion criminal proceedings could have been brought.

Government News sincerely apologises to councillor Blanchard for any damage to his reputation caused by the article and withdraws all criticism of him.