Warren Entsch (Leichhardt, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I rise to make a statement in relation to a report titled: Report concerning an application from Mr Brian McCarty for the publication of a response to a reference made in the House of Representatives. I would like to respond to a document that was tabled in relation to statements made in this place on 17 September regarding the activities of Mr Brian McCarty, who has a very toxic and very inappropriate blog called Hillbilly Watch. He hides behind this blog in an effort to remain anonymous. He came out in a right of reply in the first instance denying that he has any association with that, claiming that I erroneously or inappropriately linked Mr McCarty.

I have two documents, appendices 1 and 2, which I will table at the end of my speech. One is an article from www.cairnsblog.net titled Hillbilly Blog Identities Exposed. The second one is at rossparisi.blogspot.com.au, titled Hillbilly Watch Brian McCarty Exposed. I have received a number of emails and text messages from people around Australia and from around the world congratulating me on exposing Brian McCarty as the main blogger behind hillbillywatch.com. There is no question at all about his association with hillbillywatch.com despite McCarty's ongoing attempts to hide behind anonymity. His identity as a blogger is widely known in Cairns and, from what I have discovered, around the world. Cairns people, however, have been reluctant to stand up to him, fearing repercussions.

In relation to the statement that Coral Sea Studios was not a web venture, I accept this assertion. However, I do not accept that the promise to support him never materialised. In 2005 I did sign a letter for McCarty when I met him for the first time when he came into my office—as I do for many other individuals—suggesting that he was wanting to set up this enterprise in the electorate. At the time, I was totally unaware of his actions. Coral Sea Studios did not amount to anything in spite of that letter of support.

However, I did withdraw my support later on when I found out that there were many unanswered questions and very serious allegations in relation to his conduct and his integrity in many previous business dealings. As examples, I am tabling the following documents: a page from usenet.com/newsgroup, posted on 13 October 2008, called Australian Music Artists Beware. In relation to the assertion, there was no such venture anywhere listed called webjazz.com, I submit that it should have should have read worldjazz.com. Unfortunately, that was a typo. Documents show that Mr McCarty is behind the scheme for internet broadcasting despite denying his involvement. The main registrations for world jazz are under the registrant of Coral Sea Studios Incorporated. I will be tabling that document as well.

In relation to McCarty's rejection of an attempted investment fraud using fake website content and stolen identities, I refer to appendices 3 and 4 in addition to an email dated 17 January this year that highlights how he was involved in this. In relation to a statement that Mr McCarty does not work at Baskin Robbins ice cream franchise in the Cairns Esplanade as a guest manager, Mr McCarty's LinkedIn profile listed his position as a guest relations manager for Baskin Robbins until at least September 2012. The reference has now been removed. However, only recently, at the end of last year, I flew from Brisbane to Cairns. I sat next to a gentleman who in fact was the state representative of Baskin Robbins. Although he did not know who I was, in the course of conversation he spoke quite openly about visiting the owner of the Baskin Robbins franchise and having dinner with him that night. And he identified the owner of that franchise as none other than Mr McCarty.

In relation to Mr McCarty's claims that he does not have any severe personality disorder, again, I tender the following documents: a blog posted about Pennsylvania resident Robin Morton including fires that were posted about the subject's neighbourhood.

In relation to the AdelaideNow news article: February 15—that is tomorrow, Speaker—marks the deadline for Google to identify the blogger behind five defamatory sites. This landmark decision from the South Australian court was as a result of legal action brought on by a South Australian footballer and businessman, Shane Radbone. I certainly look forward to Google being forced to identify this individual, who I have absolutely no doubt at all will be identified as none other than Brian McCarty. Hopefully, this will happen early next week.

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