By Kate McClymont
AFTER almost 30 years of speculation, a niece of the late Abe Saffron has revealed that Australia's most notorious crime figure was behind the fire that killed seven people riding Luna Park's ghost train in June 1979.
"I don't think people were meant to be killed," Anne Buckingham told the Herald.
The daughter of Saffron's late sister and business partner Beryl Buckingham also confirmed that - despite years of denials by Saffron - her uncle sought control of the fun park after the fire.
Saffron, who was linked to seven other blazes, was the subject of a later National Crime Authority investigation into the fires. The NCA's final report noted that a Corporate Affairs Commission inquiry had failed to establish that Saffron became the owner, but the authority was scathing about the original police investigation.
While the trails had gone cold, the report stated: "Luna Park, it was alleged, had been coveted by Saffron for over 20 years and the fire in the ghost train had been lit as a trigger to evict the incumbent tenants and gain control of the park lease for himself."
Ms Buckingham said her uncle liked to "collect things" and the park was one of them.
When asked if she knew the identity of the person responsible for lighting the fire, Ms Buckingham remained silent. Her revelations emerged during an extended interview about her uncle for the(sydney)magazine, to be published next Thursday. She laughed nervously when the subject of Luna Park was raised. "The fire at Luna Park - very strange that fire," she said before adding that no one was meant to die.
Ms Buckingham is contesting Saffron's will. Late yesterday she called the Herald to demand it not publish this story. It would not "advance" her cause, she said. She then sent a letter denying she had uttered the words attributed her, although they are recorded in a face-to-face, taped interview.
At 10.15 on the night of June 9, 1979, flames engulfed the ghost train at Luna Park. Six children and one adult were killed. They included four year 7 boys from Waverley College, Jonathan Billings, Richard Charles Carroll, Michael David Johnson and Seamus Rahilly.
The news of Saffron's suspected involvement was met with shock by some of the families involved. "We have always wanted a conclusion on our son's death," said the parents of 13-year-old victim Jonathan Billings, Sydney and Irene, in an email to the Herald. "Even though this knowledge has caused us shock and grief, we shall continue our journey with peace, whilst loving and caring for our children and our grandchildren."
Also killed was Jennifer Godson's entire family - husband John and their young sons, Damien and Craig. Clutching ice-creams, Mrs Godson, of Warren, had been waiting for them to finish their last ride on what was to be the last day of a holiday in Sydney.
The previous owner of Luna Park, businessmen Leon Fink, told the Herald yesterday that at the time of the fire his lease on the amusement park had lapsed and despite several years of lobbying - including personal requests to the then premier Neville Wran - attempts to obtain a new lease proved fruitless.
Mr Fink said Mr Wran had once said to him at a function: "While my bum points to the ground, your partner will not get that lease."
Mr Fink explained that his business partner, Nathan Spatt, had once made a derogatory comment about the premier using Sir Peter Abeles's private plane during an air strike, which was relayed back to Mr Wran.
According to the report of a later inquiry, tabled in Parliament, the then deputy premier, Jack Ferguson, confirmed Mr Wran's intransigence towards Mr Fink. He said the then head of the NSW Labor Council, John Ducker, had told him Mr Fink could expect no support because he did not donate enough to the ALP.
The Herald's investigation has discovered that the policeman leading the inquiry into the Luna Park tragedy, Detective Inspector Doug Knight, had earlier been severely criticised in the Moffitt royal commission for having a secret business relationship with Jack Rooklyn, an associate of Abe Saffron's, at the same time he was investigating the pair's involvement in organised crime and clubs. Commissioner Athol Moffitt, accusing Knight of lying to the commission about his relationship with Rooklyn, noted: "One instrument of organised crime was to corrupt officials."
Knight was later chastised over his investigation of the ghost train fire which concentrated almost exclusively on the theory that an electrical fault was to blame.
Tony Carroll, father of 12-year-old victim Richard, still mourns. While missing him terribly, "we believe that carrying anger and hate against anyone responsible for his death will only end up being destructive to the rest of our family. While we do not believe Mr Saffron was a good man, we bear him no ill will".