RSL Cancels Tour Venue
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Port Arthur Information Presentations
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Email:
editor@shootersnews.addr.com
Saturday 18 August 2001 - Another Port Arthur information Presentation has been interfered with - refer link or transcript of media report below. It is interesting to note the members of the Glenorchy Tasmania RSL ( Vetrans ) club who cancelled the hall describe this issue as "politically sensitive".
Again this demonstrates attempts to stifle freedom of speech on this incident and how the media is willing to report the event in a non-positive light.
http://www.themercury.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,2622869%255E3462,00.html
Transcript:
HOBART MERCURY Newspaper -18 August 2001
"MASSACRE SCEPTICS TURNED OUT"
By Ellen Whinnett
The Glenorchy RSL Club has refused to allow a group of Port Arthur massacre
sceptics to hold a public meeting at their club.
The club told meeting organisers yesterday they would not allow the forum to
go ahead and were refunding their deposit and hire money.
While the club had originally accepted a booking, it is believed club staff
were not fully aware of the nature of the public meeting.
That changed when a leaflet promoting the meeting and its speakers came to
the attention of the club yesterday.
Meeting co-ordinator Inez McCarthy, of Hobart, said she had booked the
meeting and paid the $55 fee and $50 deposit. The money now had been
refunded.
The meeting, planned for August 28th was to feature three guest speakers -
massacre survivor Wendy Scurr, retired Victoria policeman Andrew MacGregor
and a former employee at the Port Arthur site, Robyn Cooper.
Mrs Scurr has publicly stated she does not believe the official version of
events surrounding the 1996 massacre and is now on the public speaking
circuit.
She has collaborated with Mr. MacGregor to produce a CD detailing their
version of events and highlighting what they see as discrepancies.
The pair have spoken to a number of right-wing and conservative groups
around Australia.
Mrs. McCarthy said she did not represent any organisation and was acting as
an individual when she organised the meeting.
She said she had heard Mrs. Scurr speak in Launceston at a meeting of the
Conservative Speakers Club and had invited her to talk in Hobart.
In a press release prepared by conservative Hobart historian and auther Reg
Watson, Mrs. McCarthy said the refusal of the RSL to host the meeting was
łan issue of free speech˛. She is now searching for another venue. In
her press release, she said the club had told her the issue was politically
sensitive and the club committee had made the decision to ban the meeting
after concern was raised by a member of the public.
Glenorchy RSL club officials were still considering their response last
night.
If anyone would like to make comment, please email the letters to the Editor
of "The Mercury Newspaper" Email -
mercuryedletter@dbl.newsltd.com.au
Fax No. (03) 62 300 711
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