Terms of use

These conditions apply to any content published, supplied or contributed in any format to any platforms hosted or facilitated by Molico Media.

Comments and social media participation

Community participation in the debate is at the heart of Molico Media and we deliver a high standard of comment and social media moderation. Our goal is to promote vibrant, intellectual, entertaining, and on-topic discussion while screening out anything that is abusive or defamatory.

Contribution and comment moderation policy

Molico Media will not publish content that:

• infringes intellectual property rights or copyright
• is defamatory
• violates laws regarding harassment, discrimination, privacy or contempt
• is abusive or offensive, including obscenity, blasphemy and racial vilification
• is condescending
• promotes hatred of any kind
• attacks the writer not the argument
• is inflammatory or blatantly off-topic
• is intentionally false or misleading
• doesn’t make sense or is of nuisance value
• is inappropriate or vexatious
• could place the writer at risk.

Molico Media reserves the right to reject contributions on topics that have already been widely canvassed in the forum. It also reserves the right to reject contributions from participants who seek to dominate the discussion.

We will also not publish material that:

• compromises the privacy of our readers, contributors or staff
• contains inappropriate personal information or content
• seeks to endorse commercial products or activities or to solicit business (with the exception of sponsored content, which is published by arrangement and clearly marked as paid material – see more details below)
• deliberately provokes other community members.

Repeated breaches of these guidelines will lead to suspension from the site. Posting on behalf of a suspended member may also lead to being blocked.

Molico Media will continue to encourage its readers to submit articles for possible publication, but these must be published under the real name of the submitter except by arrangement with the editor in cases where the writer feels anonymity is necessary.

In certain cases, an article can also, by arrangement, be published under the name of a business or organisation.

Despite our best efforts, from time-to-time something may slip through the cracks. If you believe this has happened, please report the article or comment to us for a secondary review.

Paid Content Policy

Molico Media produces a variety of content in partnership with outside parties. We have a number of commercial partners who receive the opportunity to commission feature articles, as well as an opportunity to supply us with their own contributed content. These sources of revenue allow us to fund our operation as an independent news media organisation.

The presentation of this content makes clear how the content has been commissioned and produced. One of two labels will appear on this content: ‘Partner Content’, or ‘Supplied Content’.

Partner Content is used to describe feature articles produced by our journalists as part of a Molico Media partnership package. A Partner may have a role in suggesting what kind of topics are covered, but the editor is not obliged to accept ideas from the Partner. Before content is agreed with a Partner, relevant senior editors are consulted about its suitability and the Group Editor has the final say on whether a feature story goes ahead. The content is written and edited by Hard Deck Media journalists, or those approved by Molico Media, to the same standards expected of all of our journalists.

Supplied Content is used to describe features that are paid for and produced by a Molico Media Partner rather than Molico Media.

Contributor patronage

Wherever a contributor has a current or prior relationship with the subject of a Molico Media article or receives any form of patronage from them; this must be disclosed either in the content or at the conclusion of the article.

Molico Media Complaints policy

Molico Media’s editorial policies state our unwavering commitment to producing accurate, balanced and fair content, as well as the right-of-reply and a formal complaints handling process.

When a complaint is received, Molico Media will seek to deal with it as quickly as possible. We aim to respond within 30 days of receipt of the complaint and to resolve the matters as swiftly as practicable, although some complex matters may take longer to resolve. Response to complaints will be determined by the seriousness of the matter, the likelihood of harm to a person or persons, the potential to mislead, the degree of risk to the public and the genuine risk to reputation.

Molico Media is committed to respecting the confidentiality of complainants.

Complaints may be lodged with Molico Media by letter to PO Box 3333 Manuka ACT 2603 ATTN: Managing Editor, or via email to [email protected].

To meet the requirement of fairness to all parties in complaint handling, any staff who may be adversely affected by the outcome of the investigation must have the opportunity to be heard during the investigation and appropriately informed of the outcome.

Molico Media reserves the right to determine, implement and record any remedy arising from a complaint investigation.

Molico Media may choose not to continue dealing with a complaint when the complaint does not refer to a specific item of Molico Media content; when the complaint concerns content which is or becomes the subject of legal proceedings; where the complainant does not have a sufficient interest in the subject matter of the complaint, or where the complaint is frivolous or vexatious or not made in good faith. In such cases Molico Media reserves the right to terminate all correspondence. The complainant will be advised of this decision in writing.

A complaint is resolved when Molico Media has taken all fair and reasonable steps to address the cause of the complaint. Responses to a complaint of substance will be finalised with the complainant in written form.

Where a complainant is not satisfied with the resolution process, Molico Media will advise the complainant of the option to refer the matter to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

Terms of Use

1. General
1.1 By visiting, registering or using this site in any way you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions. These terms and conditions of use may be changed at any time the sole discretion of Molico Media.

1.2 Any content that you read on Molico Media is solely the opinion of those registered users who express them, whether they be informed or otherwise. No material on this site contributed by third parties or linked to for the purposes of discussion is considered the views of or endorsed by Molico Media, its officers or directors. You should conduct your own research before relying on any opinion expressed on this site. Any content that you contribute to this site is your opinion only.

1.3 You may be held legally responsible for the content you submit to Molico Media’s discussion forums.

1.4 Molico Media will determine, at its discretion, whether to edit, publish (or remove from a site) any of your content. In particular, material if Molico Media (in our editor’s opinion and our opinion only) considers to be:

• 1.4.1 defamatory, or otherwise unlawful or that it violates laws regarding harassment, discrimination, privacy or contempt; –
• 1.4.2 intentionally false or misleading;
• 1.4.3 an infringement of intellectual property rights or copyright. See below for further information on copyright;
• 1.4.4 abusive or offensive, including obscenity, blasphemy and racial vilification;
• 1.4.5 of nuisance value, inflammatory, inappropriate, off topic or vexatious. For example Hard Deck Media reserves the right to reject contributions that have been widely canvassed in the forum. It also reserves the right to reject contributions from participants who seek to dominate the discussion;
• 1.4.6 compromising the privacy of yourself, other contributors or of Hard Deck Media staff, or containing inappropriate personal information;
• 1.4.7 seeking to endorse commercial products or activities or to solicit business;
• 1.4.8 deliberate provocation of other community members;
• 1.4.9 a posting on behalf of a suspended member. This may lead to you also having your membership locked.

1.5 You acknowledge that Molico Media may use all intellectual property rights in your content throughout the world, in perpetuity, without restriction and without making payment to you, including publication of that material in hard copy publications or in electronic media, using your content in training, advertising or promotional material for Molico Media and permitting others to do any of these, including when Molico Media and others receive payment for this.

1.6. You warrant that:

• 1.6.1 you own your content and all rights in relation to your content;
• 1.6.2 you obtained your content in a manner which does not breach any laws or the rights of any person;
• 1.6.3 your content is accurate and reflects actual people and events and you did not digitally alter images or footage in any way to create your content or impersonate any person or entity or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with a person or entity;
• 1.6.4 your content, your provision of your content to Molico Media and the use by Molico Media of your content, in each case as contemplated in these terms and conditions, does not breach any law (including laws relating to privacy, intellectual property, and defamation) or the rights of any person;
• 1.6.5 your content, at the time you send it to Molico Media contains no virus or other code or material embedded in it which will have a negative impact on Molico Media’s services or infrastructure;
• 1.6.6 your content is not being provided for a commercial purpose (including that you are not soliciting funds, have not accepted payment for promotion, or are promoting particular goods or services in which you have a vested commercial interest); and
• 1.6.7 you did not forge any TCP/IP packet header or any part of the header information in any email or SMS.

1.7 Repeated breaches of these Conditions of Use may cause Molico Media to complain to the Internet Service Provider of the person responsible, and in very serious cases, initiate legal action.

1.8. On submitting any comment or content to Molico Media for publication in any media, you indemnify Molico Media and its officers, employees, and agents against any damage or loss made against or suffered by any of those indemnified arising, in whole or in part, as a result of:

• 1.8.1 the publication by Molico Media or a person permitted by Molico Media of your content; or
• 1.8.2 a breach by you of these terms and conditions.

1.9 Molico Media may use your email address to contact you from time to time.

2. Copyright

2.1 Material published on the internet is protected by the same laws of copyright which apply to books, videos, and music.

2.2 The right to “copy” always remains with the owner of the material. Unless expressly stated otherwise, you are not permitted to copy or republish anything you find on the internet without the copyright owner’s permission.

2.3 If you wish to refer to material on someone else’s website we recommend you include an attribution in your message. Molico Media allows links to other websites at its sole discretion.

2.4 Under Australian copyright law, limited quotation is permissible in the context of genuine review and criticism. However, this does not permit extensive quoting of song lyrics etc.

Note: You are welcome to quote content from Molico Media within your contributions, however, we ask that you attribute the URL of the Molico Media page where you found the quote or picture or sound.

2.5 When you submit content, in any format, you acknowledge that you have all necessary rights, including copyright, in the material that you are contributing to Molico Media. You agree that Molico Media may use the material online and in whatever other ways Molico Media chooses, now and in the future.

3. Comments and Complaints

3.1 Complaints or comments about the content and management of particular interactive features can be made via the Contact Us page.

4. Registration and Login Names

4.1 Molico Media may refuse registration of visitors whose suggested login names are considered inappropriate. Grounds for refusal may include:

• 4.1.1 offensive content;
• 4.1.2 obscenity;
• 4.1.3 abuse;
• 4.1.4 defamatory content;
• 4.1.5 contempt;
• 4.1.6 incitement;
• 4.1.7 copyright infringement;
• 4.1.8 brand names or registered trademarks;
• 4.1.9 company or organisation names;
• 4.1.10 names of high-profile or public figures; or
• 4.1.11 names promoting political, religious, social or economic issues.

4.2 Molico Media reserves the right to refuse suggested login names at its sole discretion.

4.3 Molico Media will not accept any registration that the company suspects is being made by or on behalf of a member who has been suspended for repeated violation of these conditions of use.

4.4 Repeated breaches of these Conditions of Use may cause Molico Media to lock and/or delete member registrations.

5. Event Calendar

5.1 When you submit an event you must include a contact point such as an email address or a phone number that will be published with the event details. This is to provide the public with a source of further information and Molico Media with a way of confirming listing details. Events submitted without a genuine contact email address or phone number will not be published.

5.2 Molico Media reserves the right to publish or delete items in event calendar at its sole discretion.