The Alan Jones scandal touched the Tweed this week with organisers of Rock The Gate – Northern Rivers, deciding to withdraw the invitation to Mr Jones to speak at their event in Murwillumbah next week.
“‘Sticks and stones will break my bones – but words will never hurt me’ is a mantra that held common sway when I was growing up,” organiser Michael McNamara said.
“It was about building resilience. It was also about recognising that other people can be thoughtless bastards at times. I don’t think anybody would argue that Alan Jones, in his reported comments about Julia Gillard and her father has been “thoughtless”.
“Like most people, when Julie and I heard about Alan Jones’ comments we were appalled.
“That anybody would suggest that a parent died of shame because of their child is so beyond the pale that it beggars belief that anybody, let alone someone with any sort of public profile, would think it, let alone make it.
“To make such a comment within two weeks of the death of Julie Gillard’s father suggests such a lack of human compassion as to be incomprehensible.”
However he said Rock the Gate – Northern Rivers, was not about Alan Jones
He said it was about giving communities across the Northern Rivers, from Grafton to Tweed Heads, from Ballina to Drake and beyond, a chance to show, by coming together in common cause at one location, that they want, they demand, the Northern Rivers to be Gasfield Free. The concert component is about giving those same communities an opportunity to celebrate their coming together in a common cause.
“That having been said, we find the threats of boycotts of a Lock the Gate campaign activity because a certain person is appearing or participating to be disappointing,” he said.
“We will certainly not make a decision either way in response to such threats.
“Alan Jones is not the only person with views that some find objectionable on other matters who is opposed to CSG.
“Mind you, anybody who has only just developed concerns about Alan Jones’ other views and now says they won’t come to the rally because he will be speaking has had their ears closed for a very long time! He was “Alan Jones” long before he made the comments that have been reported over the weekend. He has had to apologise before. He makes his living from being controversial!”
