Greens courted Holocaust denier Fredrick Toben
Greens MLC David Shoebridge invited Fredrick Toben - who served prison time for Holocaust denial in Germany in the 1990s and in Australia last decade for contempt of court after breaching an order to refrain from publishing material on his website vilifying Jews - to the NSW Parliamentary Friends of Palestine event.
Jeremy Jones of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council expressed disappointment with an invitation being sent to someone of Dr Toben's reputation. Mr Shoebridge said yesterday there was never any intention to invite Dr Toben to the event and the invitation was withdrawn as soon as he and his staff became aware of his views.
Emails provided to The Australian by Dr Toben show broader contact.
Dr Toben emailed Mr Shoebridge following an incident in March when upper house debate on a motion reporting on a study trip to Israel by a delegation of NSW parliamentarians, organised by the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, was hijacked by pro-Palestinian MPs to attack Israel.
Mr Shoebridge's office emailed Dr Toben a link to his speech on March 25.
"Many, many thanks, Mark - and all the very best to David - and I do hope there will not be a bending to Jewish pressure after this courageous stance!" Dr Toben said in a return email the same day.
"Definitely not," came a response from Mr Shoebridge's office two days later.
Dr Toben was invited to the "Sail with us in solidarity" fundraiser organised by the NSW Parliamentary Friends of Palestine, co-chaired by Mr Shoebridge and Labor MLC Lynda Voltz, on April 3.
"There was never any intention to invite Mr Toben to the event," Mr Shoebridge said yesterday.
"Mr Toben was inadvertently invited to the event via an automated email. Once we realised who he was - namely a Holocaust denier - we withdrew the invitation and took immediate steps to ensure that he would not be contacted in any way in the future.
"We understand Mr Toben is angered by our position and has threatened action against our office, which if it eventuates will be vigorously resisted."
Emails between Mr Shoebridge's office and Dr Toben show it took some time for the realisation to hit.
Dr Toben asked in an email on Monday, April 8: "Do you still have a spot for me on that harbor cruise? If so, then I shall book a return flight from Adelaide to Sydney and join the cruise on 2 May."
A response came the following day. "Hi Frederick. Yes there are still spaces available. It would be good to see you there. Mark for David."
On Wednesday, April 10, though, the invitation was withdrawn. "Hi Frederick, I'm afraid we're going to have to rescind our invitation to this event. I have been informed that, based on your past actions and views, your presence will likely offend a number of guests who we work with frequently. Apologies for any inconvenience. Mark for David."
Dr Toben, bankrupted last year as a result of legal action launched against his activities by Jewish community bodies, protested against the decision, saying he had already bought a ticket to fly to Sydney.
After email exchanges that stretched into May, in which Dr Toben demanded reimbursement for his fare, Mr Shoebridge's office told him they would "not be entering into any further correspondence on the matter".
Dr Toben made light of his barring yesterday.
"I can behave," he said.
Mr Jones, who launched the actions against Dr Toben, said Mr Shoebridge needed to take responsibility for the incident.
"He put his name to the invitation," he said.
Peter Wertheim, director of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and a solicitor for Mr Jones in his action against Dr Toben, added: "Whatever Shoebridge's personal views may be, the time has surely arrived for the leaders of the anti-Israel movement to ask themselves some serious questions about what it is about their campaign that repeatedly attracts outpourings of gross anti-Jewish hatred, both online and in other public contexts, and the enthusiastic support of an avowed Holocaust denier."
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