NSW: Carr refuses to apologise to massacre student s family

AAP General News (Australia)
04-18-2001
NSW: Carr refuses to apologise to massacre student s family

SYDNEY, April 18 AAP - New South Wales Premier Bob Carr today rejected calls for him
to apologise over the government's handling of a teenager's alleged plan to carry out
a school massacre.

The father of the 15-year-old has demanded an apology, claiming his son has become
an outcast after Education Minister John Aquilina unveiled the contents of the boy's diary
in parliament last week.

Making the announcement in parliament, Mr Aquilina said the boy had written a diary
which contained a "massacre list" of students and teachers he allegedly intended to gun
down at a school assembly at Cecil Hills High School.

The minister also drew a comparison between the boy's plans and the Columbine school
shootings in the United States two years ago.

The opposition has backed the calls for an apology and referred the matter to the Independent
Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).

Mr Carr said neither an apology nor an investigation into the government's handling
of the matter were necessary.

"The government has got nothing to apologise for (and) it's not remotely a matter for
the ICAC," he told Channel Nine.

He later told radio 2UE the government was faced with "uncontradicted material" from
the school and had no choice but to go public.

"To have done otherwise would have left us open to the allegation of attempting to
cover up a potentially serious incident," he said.

NSW Parents and Citizens Association president Bev Baker said the family should be
seeking compensation as well as an apology.

"I think the premier and his government should apologise ... what his government did
was madness, absolute madness ... and it has absolutely smashed the boy, his family and
the community.

"I think (the father) has been courteous and polite asking for an apology.

"The boy is a victim now very much ... and there should be compensation for the boy,
the family and the whole community."

The opposition accused the government of telling lies about the existence of a gun
to boost the story's credibility, and raised questions about the government's possible
interference in police statements regarding the matter.

Mr Carr refused to respond to the allegations during his radio interview today.

"I can't comment on the kind of contact there was between the government and police
... I'm simply not aware of that," he said.

Opposition Leader Kerry Chikarovski demanded that Mr Carr apologise to the family.

She also called on the premier to order the immediate return of Mr Aquilina from his
overseas trip to explain his role in the matter.

"It is time that Mr Carr apologise to that family for the incompetent way his minister
has handled this issue," Mrs Chikarovski told reporters.

"Mr Carr should ask Mr Aquilina to return from overseas and to answer some questions
which are still outstanding.

"Who did authorise staffers to come down and tell the (reporters) that there was a
gun involved in this matter? What does Mr Aquilina know about that matter, what does he
know about the gun?"

Mrs Chikarovski said the education minister should resign if he refused to answer the questions.

Mr Carr said Mr Aquilina had tabled the matter in parliament on the advice of the director
of school education and the school's principal.

"This was done on the advice of the director of school education and, if my recollection
is correct, of the school principal," he told radio 2UE.

He also denied government staff had spread rumours, saying they only repeated information
supplied by authorities.

"Anything government staff did was based on information they received from authorities
at the time," he said.

"They responded with that information."

AAP aa/jjs/jas/bwl

KEYWORD: MASSACRE NIGHTLEAD

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