John Tuson Bennett

John Tuson Bennett (12 November 1937 – 22 July 2013) was a solicitor in Victoria, Australia. He was one of Australia's longest and most active Holocaust deniers, active in the Holocaust denial movement from the late 1970s. He formed the Australian Civil Liberties Union (ACCL) in 1980.

"Australian Civil Liberties Union" redirects here. For original civil liberties body founded in Victoria, see Australian Council for Civil Liberties.

John Tuson Bennett
Born(1937-11-12)12 November 1937
Horsham, Victoria
Died22 July 2013(2013-07-22) (aged 75)
OccupationSolicitor
Known forHolocaust denial

Early life and education

Bennett was born on 12 November 1937 in Horsham, Victoria.[1] His father, Ian,[2] was a solicitor, and later served as mayor.[1][lower-alpha 1]

He graduated with honours from the University of Melbourne in both law and arts.[3]

Career

Bennett worked from 1974 to 1996 for the Legal Aid Commission of Victoria.

He and Beatrice Faust established the Victorian Council for Civil Liberties (VCCL, now known as Liberty Victoria) in 1966,[3] and Bennett served as its secretary until 1980. The new body, which superseded the Australian Council for Civil Liberties (ACCL), had no ties with former council members, and no political and religious affiliations, unlike the ACCL, which was affiliated to the Labor Party. It focused largely on police matters, in particular their actions in response to protests against the Vietnam War around 1970. Disagreements arose between conservative and radical members, and Bennett was expelled from the Labor Party in 1980.[4]

Australian Civil Liberties Union

Around this time disagreements arose between conservative and radical members of the VCCL, and in May 1980 a new committee was elected without Bennett. Conflict ensued, with Bennett refusing to hand over control of the finances or membership list, and the matter went to court. While Bennett claimed to represent the VCCL, but in the same year formed a new body, the Australian Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), its name based on the American Civil Liberties Union,[4] and was its president from 1980 to 2004. The ACLU has been characterised as "one of Victoria's foremost racist and Holocaust denying organisations".[5] Geoff Muirden was secretary of the ACLU in 2004.[6]

Publications and other roles

He was for many years the author of an annually published handbook or journal called Your Rights,[7] This was published over a number of years and editions, first by Bennett, then by VCCL,[4] and then ACLU.[8][9] The 1984 edition included a section which denied the Holocaust.[1] Bennett claimed in 2003 that the publication was "the most commonly used layman's guide to law in Australia", with over 500,000 copies sold or distributed for free since the first edition.[4]

Bennett was closely associated with the Adelaide Institute as well as the United States-based Institute for Historical Review, two groups known for Holocaust denial,[10] and was on the board of The Journal of Historical Review.[11]

In 1999 he organised support for Holocaust denier Fredrick Töben, after he had been jailed in Mannheim.[1]

He also criticised "multiculturalism and Asian immigration" in addition to criticism against the Jewish community and traditional beliefs about The Holocaust.[12]

Death and legacy

Bennett died on 22 July 2013, aged 76.[2]

Notes
  1. The Herald Sun death notice says that he died aged 76, so this DOB may not be correct.[2]

References
  1. Jost, John (December 2006). "12 November 2006: Happy 70th Birthday – John Tuson Bennett". Adelaide Institute Newsletter. Adelaide Institute (308). ISSN 1440-9828. Archived from the original on 1 September 2007.
  2. "Bennett, John Tuson". Herald Sun. 23 July 2013.
  3. "Booklet - John Bennett, 'Your Rights', Australian Civil Liberties Union, 2002". Museums Victoria. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  4. Klugman, Kristine; Rowlings, Bill (February 2021). "Chapter 4 – Victoria: Rocky road for the oldest civil liberties group" (PDF). The people and organisations fighting for freedoms and liberties. p. 17, 21-22. A new book in production...
  5. "ADC Online: John Pasquarelli Joins Holocaust Deniers". The Nizkor Project. B'nai B'rith Anti-Defamation Commission Inc. August 2008. Archived from the original on 16 September 2007. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
  6. "A change of tack on police corruption?". The Age. 29 June 2004. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  7. Bennett, John Tuson; Victorian Council for Civil Liberties; Australian Civil Liberties Union (1974–2021), "Your rights: including consumer rights {Trove catalogue entry]", Your Rights, V.C.C.L, ISSN 0158-751X, Subtitle varies. Issues for 1974-1983 published by: Victorian Council for Civil Liberties; 1984-; by: Australian Civil Liberties Union; 1993- , by John Bennett for the A.C.L.U.1974- compiled by John Bennett.
  8. Bennett, John Tuson (1900), Your rights: Legal advice on where to get help, Victorian Council for Civil Liberties], retrieved 27 October 2021
  9. Bennett, John Tuson (1981), Your rights (8th ed.), J. Bennett [Melbourne] : Gordon & Gotch [distributor], ISBN 978-0-9594555-1-9
  10. Jones, Jeremy (May 2003). "Wrong rights". The Review. Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council. Archived from the original on 8 September 2007. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
  11. "The Institute for Historical Review". Auschwitz-Birkenau. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  12. "Australia 2001-2". Antisemitism and Racism. The Stephen Roth Institute for the Study of the Contemporary. Archived from the original on 4 April 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2008.

Further reading
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