Police, victims say tears shed over the Port Arthur massacre are real

A police sniper deployed to the Port Arthur massacre has rubbished Senator Pauline Hanson’s claims about the shooting as a “tinfoil hat” conspiracy and “insulting” to the tactical experts who risked their lives to save others.

A police sniper deployed to the Port Arthur massacre has rubbished Senator Pauline Hanson’s claims about the horrific shooting as a “tinfoil hat” conspiracy.

The Special Operations Group officer — dubbed “Sierra One” — was at the time one of Australia’s top police sniper instructors.

He said Senator Hanson’s controversial comments were “insulting” to the tactical experts who risked their lives to save others.

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Survivors have also labelled the comments “utter bunkum” and called for Australians to vote Senator Hanson out of office.

The Queensland senator was covertly recorded claiming that gunman Martin Bryant’s 1996 killing spree in Tasmania included “precision shots”.

She later added: “I read a book on it, on Port Arthur. A lot of questions there.”

But the former Victoria Police officer told the Herald Sun there was “no conspiracy by any officers”.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson with chief of staff James Ashby. Picture: AAP

“It didn’t take a precision marksman with the weaponry he had to execute those people in the cafe. He was within metres of most of them,” the former officer said. “I feel frustrated that she is using supposed evidence that is really just tinfoil hat internet conspiracy theories.

“It is insulting in as much as there was a lot of professional, competent people there risking their lives to save others. She is discounting that for what?”

Bryant, described by the officer as a “deranged, pathetic, snivelling individual”, killed 35 people at Port Arthur in April 1996.

The officer was one of the SOG team deployed to the tragedy, and kept watch on the Seascape Cottages where Bryant was holed up for about 18 hours.

The sniper had “discussed the rules of engagement and the use of legal force” with the on-scene Tasmanian police commander.

But when Bryant finally emerged from the bed-and-breakfast after setting fire to it, he had already dropped his weapon and was on fire. “He was unarmed and on fire so he was no threat to us at that point,” the former officer said. “I called in the arrest while he burnt. The capability was there but the circumstance wouldn’t allow it.”

On Thursday, fronting the media to hose down the controversy, Senator Hanson said there was “no question in my mind that Martin Bryant was the only person responsible”.

Dr Bryan Walpole said Senator Hanson’s comments on Port Arthur wre ‘absolute bunkum’.

She also claimed the Al Jazeera sting footage shown in Australia this week — covert footage of not only her Port Arthur claims but an apparent bid by two of her One Nation associates to secure funding from America’s powerful pro-gun National Rifle Association — was “heavily edited” and the media had been “sold a pup”. She could not recall the name of the book she had read about the massacre, but said it was blue and “wasn’t real thick”.

Dr Bryan Walpole, a Tasmanian surgeon who dealt with the massacre’s aftermath, said Senator Hanson’s comments were “absolute bunkum”.

“It is utterly mischievous and disrespectful,” he said. “We were absolutely astonished that someone, especially with the responsibility of a sitting MP in federal parliament, would bring this up.

“The vast majority of Australians need to wake up to people like her and vote them out of office. We don’t need people like that.”

Port Arthur survivor Bev Kelly says Pauline Hanson needs to ‘leave it alone’. .Picture: Ian Currie

Victorian survivor Bev Kelly, who had been at Port Arthur celebrating her 10th wedding anniversary, said Senator Hanson needed to “leave it alone”.

“It makes me pretty sad,” Ms Kelly said. “Could they not think of the people who died or the survivors left behind? She has no idea.”

Victorian survivor Peter Grenfell, his wife, Pauline, and another couple had just left the Broad Arrow Cafe at Port Arthur when the shooting began inside.

He told the Herald Sun that he didn’t think Senator Hanson would “stoop that low”, adding: “She can mouth off as much as she likes but unless you were there, you have no idea what happened.”

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