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MEDIA RELEASE - KOTABI PUBLISHING THURSDAY 21ST NOVEMBER 1996

NEW ATTEMPT TO BAN WILDLIFE SMUGGLING BOOK 

A new attempt has been launched to ban the controversial new wildlife
smuggling book Smuggled-2 - Wildlife Trafficking, Crime and Corruption
in Australia.

The book which has been on the market for just six weeks details the
involvement of wildlife officials in New South Wales (NPWS) and other
states in the illegal trade in Australia's wildlife.  Furthermore
Smuggled-2 alleges that many of these officials are also involved in
other criminal activities including the drug trade, arms dealings, and
so on.  

Detailed in the book are repeated cases of high-level corruption in
NPWS, and elsewhere including, murders, bashings and other means to
silence whistleblowers, including those within their own departments. 
Phone tapping, burglaries, armed raids and other strong-arm tactics are
so common as to be effectively routine.  

Yesterday (Wednesday) a summons was served on author Raymond Hoser and
publisher Kotabi, on behalf of Kangaroo meat processor Victor Bates
and/of Vacik Distributors.  There is a chapter in Smuggled-2 detailing
allegations of corruption involving NPWS officials, Vacik, Bates and
others.  The information in that chapter was initially sourced from
documents tabled in the Federal Parliament in 1992 by Democrats Senator,
Meg Lees, and the manuscript itself has since been tabled before the
Victorian Parliament as part of a wildlife trade inquiry there.

It was alleged that Vacik had been a party to bribes and other illegal
activity with NPWS officials and that officials within NPWS who
attempted to stop such actions were either sacked or silenced.  On
Friday this week (22nd November, 9.15 AM), Vacik will be applying to the
Sydney Supreme Court for a ban on the sales and distribution of
Smuggled-2.

This application alleges that Vacik has suffered as a result of
publication of these allegations in the book. Opposing the application,
author Raymond Hoser notes that these allegations had been widely
published previously, including in most major metropolitan papers on or
about June 19th 1993 and that Vacik never sought to correct the contents
of these stories or seek damages as a result of their publication. 
Hoser goes on to note that "Vacik doesn't appear to have suffered in any
way as a result of those stories and subsequent similar stories, and if
Vacik have nothing to hide, I cannot see any impact my book could
possibly have."  Hoser also notes that all material was meticulously
checked prior to publication and sources named were invited to comment
on the allegations raised, and that when answered, responses were
printed.  He also notes that an attempt to ban this book would be
illegal as it is covered by Parliamentary privilege and would therefore
be contempt.  The findings of the recent Theophanus High Court case
further strengthens the case against any attempt to ban the book.

In June 1993, Vacik issued a writ against The Herald and Weekly Times in
an apparent bid to prevent follow-up by a journalist to a story alleging
corruption in Vacik and NPWS published earlier by the same paper.  That
writ was vigorously contested by the paper and Vacik do not appear to
have pursued the matter.

Hoser stated "I understand this writ against myself, like the earlier
one to the paper to be vexatious and an abuse of legal process".  He
further said "This is a blatant attempt to restrict free speech and
public inquiry into possible serious criminality - I hope that the court
will resist this heavy handed attempt at censorship."  Hoser is now
accustomed to attempts to ban his books.  An earlier book, Smuggled -
The Underground Trade in Australia's wildlife was illegally banned by
NPWS after release in May 1993.  The ban was lifted following media
publicity and Political intervention a month later.  In February 1994,
the Victoria Police were unsuccessful in an illegal attempt to ban The
Hoser Files, a book which detailed widespread corruption in the Victoria
Police and elsewhere in that state's bureaucracy.  

Smuggled-2, which has a foreword by Federal Minister, Ian McLachlan also
alleges serious corruption in NPWS when current NSW Premier Bob Carr was
in charge of that department in the mid 1980's.

It is expected that the media will take a strong interest in this
Friday's case due to the free speech and other issues raised.

Further Inquiries:- KOTABI PUBLISHING - (03) 9857-4491 or RAYMOND HOSER
- 018-588-699

RAYMOND HOSER - Adder Corp., PO BOX 599 DONCASTER
VICTORIA 3108 AUSTRALIA

Main Websites: 

Australians Against Corruption - http://www.kew.starway.net.au/~adder/
Australian Smuggling and Wildlife Crime Site -
http://www.kew.starway.net.au/~adder/aussmu1.html
Police Corruption/Media censorship home page -
http://www.kew.starway.net.au/~adder/vrb1.html
Kotabi Publishing Site - http://www.kew.starway.net.au/~adder/smu2.html
Victorian Herpetological Society -
http://www.kew.starway.net.au/~adder/vhs1.html
Scientific papers on Australian reptiles - published list -
http://www.kew.starway.net.au/~adder/pap1.html

mailto:adder@kew.starway.net.au