THE following adjudication has been issued by the Australian Press Council. The article reported the results of a survey by the Ai Group of the impact on businesses of the Federal Government's carbon tax between 1 July 2012, when the tax was introduced, and November 2012. It said that among manufacturing businesses surveyed, "14.5 per cent had been added to some energy bills," while "the impact was slightly lower for service provider firms - 13.6 per cent - compared with construction firms, which face an average increase of 14.8 per cent." Steve Foy complained that the article was inaccurate and misleading because it overstated the survey's findings. He said businesses had been asked to estimate the increases in their energy bill due to the carbon tax; they had not been asked to report the actual increases. He noted that when releasing the survey the Ai Group had warned: "The high profile of the carbon tax appears to have led to some over-estimation by businesses of the specific impact of the carbon tax on their energy cost increases over the past year." It had also noted the estimates in the survey were substantially higher than shown by the Australian Bureau of Statistics data covering the first three months of the tax. The Daily Telegraph said it had clearly indicated that the 14.5 per cent increase applied only to "some" manufacturers and that "some [businesses] had said the carbon tax is not as bad as they first feared." The article also mentioned one business owner who"expected it would add 15 per cent to his energy costs but now estimates the carbon tax will add about 11 per cent." The publication also said the ABS data was not directly comparable as it related only to electricity costs (not all energy costs) and did not cover all of the survey period. It said the journalist had interviewed the CEO of Ai Group and given an indication of his views in the article. It did not consider the article required any amendment, but it offered to add additional information to the online version of the article. The Council notes the Ai Group's media release on the survey made numerous references to the increases being estimates and included two prominent warnings about the potential for over-estimation. It has concluded that omission of the key matters led to the article being inaccurate. It welcomes the proposed additions to the online version, but considers they cannot sufficiently rectify the impact of the initial article in print and online. Accordingly, this aspect of the complaint is upheld. The Council does not consider the information about the ABS data needed to be included, given the difference in reporting period and the scope of costs in question. This aspect of the complaint is not upheld. Full adjudication at www.presscouncil.org.au/