Glenelg businesswoman Lissi Whyte taking legal action against boat owners for allegedly defamatory claims

A bust-up between a dive centre operator and wealthy boat owners has escalated as they target her James Bond-themed motor boat and “amply busted” wall mural.

Adelaide Scuba Dive Centre owner Lissi Whyte and her boat named ‘Octopussy’ after the James Bond film. Picture: Mike Burton

An Adelaide scuba diving centre owner is taking defamation action against a group of wealthy boat owners from a nearby marina.

Glenelg businesswoman Lissi Whyte has taken exception to a bulletin issued by the Holdfast Quays Marina Association which she says falsely claimed she had paintings of “amply breasted” women in bikinis on her Patawalonga Basin shopfront.

Ms Whyte has instructed her lawyer, Greg Griffin, to issue defamation proceedings against the association’s chairman, Russell Wood, who sent the bulletin to members as part of an ongoing dispute over blocked access to toilets within her building.

“The bulletin published by the association makes serious and untrue comments about my character which have greatly upset me and caused me for the first time in my life to consult lawyers specialising in defamation,” she claimed.

In the bulletin, Mr Wood said Ms Whyte was claiming she had stopped association members from using her toilets because she was concerned about the risk of paedophiles gaining access to children and teenagers attending training lessons at an adjoining indoor pool.

Mr Wood has taken charge of an ongoing dispute between his association and Ms Whyte over her decision to block access, despite a 21-year-old legal agreement saying her building must contain toilets accessible to owners of boats berthed in the marina.

“I ask you to think why, if you are so concerned about protecting the young and vulnerable would you promote the area with signage such as ‘divers do it deeper’, name your dive boat ‘Octopussy’ and paint a mural on your building with amply-busted woman in bikini (sic),” said Mr Wood’s bulletin.

The mural featuring women and men in wetsuits on the side of the building. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

Signage on the Adelaide Scuba Dive vehicle. Ms Whyte said “divers do it deeper” was a comman slogan in the industry. Picture: Mike Burton

Ms Whyte disputed that she had any paintings of “amply breasted” women.

“I have pictures of men and women in wetsuits,” she said.

“I don’t understand why he is focusing on women with ample breasts.

If they can see breasts, then the problem lies with them, not me.

“And why are they assessing them on their size?”

Ms Whyte said she had named her latest dive boat ‘Octopussy’ because she was a fan of legendary film character James Bond, often played by actor Sean Connery.

“Sean Connery died last year and it is a tribute to him,” she said.

“As for using ‘divers do it deeper’ on my boats, it is a common slogan in the diving industry.

“It all seems a bit sexist to me to be talking about breasts and women in bikinis.

“I don’t understand why they would be saying it.”

The dispute between Ms Whyte and the marina association flared after, in late 2019, she removed an electronic lock used by its 150 members to enter her toilets.

The marina association is appealing to Holdfast Bay Council, which owns the marina, to take legal action against Ms Whyte to force her to honour a land management agreement signed in 2000 which stated toilets must be made available. Mr Wood declined to comment.