Greens candidate quits over claim Bryant not guilty of Port Arthur massacre

Greens candidate David Paull quits after revelations he posted Port Arthur Massacre conspiracy theories online.

Greens candidate David Paull.

Greens candidate David Paull has stood down as the Greens candidate for Parkes, after revelations he posted Port Arthur Massacre conspiracy theories online.

The Australian revealed today that Mr Paull claimed on ­social media that Martin Bryant didn’t commit the 1996 Port ­Arthur massacre in which 35 ­people died. He then denied making the comments, before later ­admitting he wrote them.

The NSW Greens have now said he will step down, despite saying the party was happy with Mr Paull’s explanation yesterday.

“The Greens will take down all campaigning material in his name,” a party spokesman said.

“David absolutely rejects the views the views he is quoted as supporting, but has stood down to not become a distraction from the important issues the Greens are focused on.”

The Facebook comment on a Port Arthur conspiracy theory page from Mr Paull said the massacre looked “like an operation designed for psychological manipulation of the general ­population”.

“There is only one sure thing in my mind — Bryant didn’t do it and so a great crime on the Australian people was committed,” the Nov­ember 2018 comment, unearthed by social media intelligence and news agency Storyful, reads.

“This crime was absolutely not necessary to bring in sensible gun reforms,” he said in the comment.

“The truth always comes out in the end. I just want people made accountable before they die and some justice for this abused, ­vulnerable person.”

After initially telling The Australian he did not write the comment, an “incredibly embarrassed” Mr Paull later admitted he had, while investigating the views of Port ­Arthur conspiracy theorists.

“I made those comments after an admin asked new members to justify their presence in the group. I absolutely do not believe, and have never believed, that Port Arthur was a conspiracy, nor do I have any doubt Martin Bryant was guilty of that horrendous crime. I support the Greens policies on gun control 100 per cent,” he said.

Greens NSW state campaign manager Andrew Blake said the party was satisfied with Mr Paull’s explanation: “We have talked to him and he is very remorseful for having misrepresented himsel

Mr Paull earlier said someone had been writing messages in his name: “I didn’t post that … I certainly do not hold those views.”

Asked if he doubted Bryant was responsible for the 1996 massacre, he said: “I don’t know. It seems incredible, but incredible things have happened.”