In light of Paul Sheehan's recent article in which he put forward false sexual assault allegations made by a member of an anti-Islam activist organisation ‘Reclaim Australia’, we request that Fairfax Media terminate his employment contract.

As many academics and media commentators have noted, Sheehan’s work is consistently guided by an anti-Islam and anti-Arab agenda. He has continued to display a contemptuous disregard for journalistic integrity and ethical reporting, and Fairfax Media has provided him with a platform to do so.

In this instance, a serious failure of basic editorial procedure has come at too high a cost to a widely respected organisation’s credibility and reputation. Muslim/Arab men have been collectively maligned and racially vilified, raising potential racial vilification implications and serious irreparable harm has been done to victims of sexual assault.

Members of the Muslim community have, consistently and repeatedly raised Sheehan’s cumulative record of demonising minority groups, Muslims in particular, with Editor in Chief Darren Goodsir over the past few years. To date, no action has been taken commensurate with the gravity of Sheehan’s conduct.

Fairfax Media must treat this with the same gravity it has treated other instances of professional misconduct if it is to have any ounce of credibility to its readers whom it owes both transparency and accountability.

The subsequent apology issued by Fairfax Media fails dismally on so many fronts and when compared to past apologies issued in relation to the Mike Carlton saga, it speaks volumes about the double standards that continue to be applied.

The executive leadership at Fairfax Media must take immediate and appropriate action that is consistent with the standards of journalistic integrity that Fairfax seeks to uphold.

Should Paul Sheehan continued to be employed by Fairfax Media, we the undersigned will:

·      commence a campaign to contact all Sydney Morning Herald advertisers raising these same concerns and urging them to direct their advertising dollars elsewhere

·       withdraw all cooperation with Fairfax Media journalists across the country, including declining interview requests and ceasing to offer exclusive media stories to Fairfax Media staff.

#SackPaulSheehan