Georgie Purcell posted the two images on X (formerly Twitter), showing the one digitally altered by Nine, left; and the original, right. Photo: Twitter / Supplied
Channel Nine has apologised to Victorian MP Georgie Purcell after a digitally altered image of her was broadcast on its TV news bulletin last night.
The Animal Justice Party MP tweeted an image shown on Nine which shows her wearing a midriff-baring top as part of the network's coverage of the duck hunting issue.
The MP posted the original image, which was published in the Bendigo Advertiser, which does not show her midriff.
"Note the enlarged boobs and outfit to be made more revealing," she tweeted.
"What gives?"
Purcell said she found the altered image concerning.
"I think male MPs get to endure catastrophic days without having their bodies Photoshopped when they're on the nightly news," she told ABC Radio Melbourne.
"I can't imagine that happening to a male politician.
"I wanted to point out the more insidious ways females continue to be treated."
Nine News apologised to Purcell and said the image was inadvertently altered.
"Our graphics department sourced an online image of Georgie to use in our story on duck hunting," Nine News director Hugh Nailon said in a statement.
"As is common practice, the image was resized to fit our specs. During that process, the automation by Photoshop created an image that was not consistent with the original.
"This did not meet the high editorial standards we have and for that we apologise to Ms Purcell unreservedly."
Nine attributed the error to AI and said no staff member was involved in altering the image.
Premier Jacinta Allan said it was not an appropriate way to treat Purcell.
"I would be really concerned to hear that that has happened because that's no way to represent any woman let alone a woman who holds a position in public office," she said.
"Let's think about the image that sends, particularly to young women."
- This story was first published by the ABC.
