5
September, 2001
Freelance
Journalist Wins Award for
Probe into Gersten Witch Hunt
Freelance
journalist John MacGregor has won the 2001 George Munster Award for
Independent Journalism from the Australian Centre for Independent
Journalism (ACIJ) at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS).
MacGregor's
reports on the campaign waged against former Florida senator Joe Gersten
by the FBI in Miami, the US State Attorney's office and members of
the City of Miami Police Department were published in The Sydney
Morning Herald, The Age and The West Australian.
MacGregor
was the first journalist to obtain a copy of the 'Pearce deposition'
— or the X files as they are known in Sydney legal circles
— which show that the US Justice Department and the FBI
interfered in Gersten's attempts to obtain Australian residency and
practice law here.
MacGregor
's commitment to the Gersten story saw him travel to Miami and Washington
for eight weeks at his own expense in order to interview major sources
for the story.
"I have
been called obsessive and far too close to the story by my editors.
I take particular pride in the latter: for without passion and involvement,
journalism means nothing," he said.
ACIJ
director Associate Professor Chris Nash said: "Mr MacGregor's
work was an excellent example of a freelance journalist taking on
a story of international scope and fighting his way through considerable
obstacles to expose the truth."
Leading
investigative reporter Chris Masters will present John MacGregor with
his award tonight, after the final of the George Munster Journalism
Forums — Reporting race, sex and violence: the Geoff
Clark story and its aftermath.
This
free public forum begins at 7pm tonight WEDNESDAY 5 SEPTEMBER in Room
510 of the Bon Marche building, 755 Harris St, UTS Broadway Campus.
All welcome.
Contact:
Chris Nash, ACIJ director, Ph 9514 2312/0408 221 380
Meredith
Jones, ACIJ Manager, Ph 9514 2295
Or
view the Munster Forums website at http://www.munster.uts.edu.au/
Mr MacGregor’s
reports ran in The West Australian, The Age and The Sydney Morning
Herald in October 2000 and April and May 2001.
