Whiskey Au Go Go inquest: Explosive witness request begins two-week proceedings

The inquest into the 1973 firebombing attack at the Whiskey Au Go Go nightclub has heard the reason police put “very little effort” into investigating the massacre that killed 15 people.

More people were likely involved in the deadly Whiskey Au Go Go arson attack than the two men convicted of murder but police investigating the crime put “very little effort” into the case, a coroner has heard.

An inquest into the deaths of 15 people killed in the 1973 firebombing attack at the Whiskey Au Go Go nightclub in Fortitude Valley opened at Brisbane District Court on Monday.

Stephen Keim SC, the counsel assisting the coroner, says there is evidence many people were aware the fire was going to happen and that some witnesses would say it was an “insurance job”.

Mr Keim said there was also a “significant” body of evidence that pointed to convicted murderer Vincent O’Dempsey being one of the men responsible for the arson attack and that it was alleged he killed Barbara McCulkin and her two daughters to cover up his involvement.

O’Dempsey, who is serving a life sentence for the killings, is expected to be called to give evidence later in the inquest which is scheduled to run for two weeks.

The Whiskey Au Go Go nightclub after the fire bombing.

An initial inquest began on March 9, 1973, just one day after the fire but was adjourned after three days when James Finch and John Stuart were charged with arson and murder.

No one else has ever been charged over the horrific arson attack despite evidence emerging over the past 48 years about the potential involvement of others.

“From this outline it can be seen that your honour is likely to have evidence to consider indicating that the motive for the attack was to claim insurance and a considerable number of people other than Stuart and Finch were responsible for the fire in that they contributed to arranging or planning it,” counsel assisting the coroner Avelina Tarrago said during her opening address.

“At the very least people knew the fire was going to happen.”

Ms Tarrago said evidence would be put before the court in which more people were alleged to have been involved in the Whiskey attack including boxer Thomas Hamilton and Barbara McCulkin’s husband Billy McCulkin.

“If it were the case that Mr McCulkin and Mr Hamilton were involved in carrying out the arson murders at the Whiskey Au Go Go that would be an indictment of the police investigation immediately after the fire,” Ms Tarrago said.

“It seems clear that once Mr Finch and Mr Stuart were arrested very little effort was made to find out if other people were involved.

“At the very least no other arrests have ever been made.”

Vincent O'Dempsey

O’Dempsey is serving jail time for the murders of Barbara McCulkin and daughters Barbara (left), 11, and Vicki, 13.

O’Dempsey’s barrister Chris Minnery has urged the court to call disgraced ex New South Wales Detective Roger Rogerson to give evidence at the inquest into the Whiskey Au Go Go nightclub deaths.

Rogerson, who is serving a life sentence for murder, took part in the original police investigation into the nightclub attack.

Mr Keim there may be “merit” in calling Rogerson to give evidence and said inquiries would be made with New South Wales corrections staff to see if the former detective could give evidence via video link from prison.

The original inquest into the fires in the 1970s was adjourned when James Finch and John Stuart were charged with the nightclub arson and the murder of the youngest victim Jennifer Davie, a 17-year-old waitress.

The pair were later convicted of the arson and murder.

Counsel assisting the coroner Stephen Keim, SC, told a pre-inquest that the inquest would hear evidence that raised concerns Stuart and Finch were not the only ones involved in the firebombing and the focus of the police investigation was not directed at finding all those persons responsible.

The arson attack occurred at 2.05am on March 8, 1973, on the corners of Amelia St and St Paul’s Tce, Fortitude Valley.

James Finch.

Roger Rogerson. Picture: Adam Yip/ The Daily Telegraph

Between 50 to 60 patrons, staff and entertainers had been in the first floor nightclub on the night of the attack. Two petrol drums were found at the ground floor entrance of the building.

Mr Keim said there was no explosion, but fuel vapours and smoke were quickly dispersed into the nightclub by airconditioning units, which operated as a chimney, pumping smoke from the building foyer to the nightclub rooms.

The reopening of the inquest into the Fortitude Valley firebombing was ordered by then Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath in 2017.