Archive/File: holocaust/england/irving irving.aus
Last-modified: 1993/03/19

Source: (Boston) Jewish Advocate, December 25-31, 1992 +

Australia Urged to Bar Entry of Holocaust-Denier

By Jeremy Jones

SYDNEY (JTA) -- The Australian Jewish community and senators from the
Australian Democrats party are urging the government to bar British
Holocaust-denier David Irving entry to Australia.

The federal justice minister, Sen. Michael Tate, revealed last week that
Irving applied for a visa to enter the country next March 17 and said the
application will be considered in January.

Tate told the Senate that Irving applied in London and said the immigration
minister will now consider whether he "is likely to become involved in
activities disruptive to the Australian community or a group within the
Australian community" or whether he is "of good character."

This consideration is affected by his deportation last month from Canada,
where he snuck in despite an official ban and gave several lectures denying
the Holocaust really happened.

He is also banned from Germany, which convicted him of spreading hate and
Holocaust denial, and unwelcome in various other countries.

The Australian government pledged "that all relevant information will be
taken into account" before a visa is issued.

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry has argued that Irving's
conviction in Germany, open arrest warrant from Austria, recent deportation
from Canada and the likelihood that he will breach state anti-racist laws
here are all relevant.

Council President Isi Leibler described Irving as "a beer hall rabble-rouser
and hero to the German neo-Nazis."

In a letter sent to federal politicians, Irving denied he has ever said "the
Holocaust never occurred" or has been banned from entering Italy or Austria.

He claimed the campaign to keep him out of Australia is a result of "Jewish
historians" who are "afraid" of debate.

A publishing house closely linked to Australian racists has announced that
Irving will be coming to Australia to launch "a revised and lavishly
illustrated" edition of 'Hitler's War' and a biography of Herman Goering.

In 1986, Irving visited Australia to launch his book on the Hungarian
revolution, "Uprising", which was published by Veritas, a small publishing
firm associated with the Australia League of Rights.

Australia's Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission describes the
league as "the most influential and effective, as well as the best-organized
and most substantially financed racist organization in Australia."

"Uprising" contains gratuitous anti-Semitic comments, with the author
interrupting the narrative to comment on individuals' Jewish origins. In it,
he describes Hungarian dictator Matthias Rakosi as "the ugly Jewish dwarf
that he was" who had "the tact of a kosher butcher."

Since the 1986 visit, four of Australia's states and territories have
enacted anti-racist legislation.
=30=

Kitchener-Waterloo Record
(Ontario, Canada)

Saturday, February 13, 1993
page A4

Australia bans Nazi apologist

CANBERRA (CP) - The Australian government has banned
a visit by a British historian who was kicked out of Canada
last November.

The Immigration Department said Friday it has refused a
visitor's visa to David Irving, a revisionist historian and
Nazi apologist who has links with far-rightist political groups.
Irving's Australian publisher said the author planned to tour
Australia in March and April.

"We are not very happy about the decision," said Murray Pope,
manager of Veritas Publishing.

"Freedom of speech is being pushed under the carpet."

He said an Immigration Department letter said the visa application
was refused because Irving would be "likely to become involved
in activities disruptive to, or violence threatening harm to,
the Australian community."

Pope said Irving is appealing a Canadian government decision to
ban him from entering Canada, as well as a similar one by the
German government.

The ban was applauded by Australian Jewish groups.

"It is a very right decision, we should not be showing tolerance
to intolerance," Council of Australian Jewry executive vice-president
Jeremy Jones said.

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