Sam Newman’s latest podcast episode has sparked controversy by airing unverified claims that Martin Bryant, the perpetrator of the Port Arthur massacre, was innocent and framed by the government. This shocking revelation comes on the heels of Newman’s previous podcast featuring neo-Nazis Thomas Sewell and Blair Cottrell, which garnered widespread criticism. In the latest episode, Newman allowed a conspiracy theorist to espouse his theories for nearly 40 minutes without presenting any substantial evidence to support his claims.
The Port Arthur massacre took place on April 28, 1996, at a former convict settlement turned tourist site in Tasmania, where Bryant, who had intellectual disabilities, killed 35 people and injured 23 others, including Nanette Mikac and her young daughters. Newman’s podcast began with a disclaimer about the controversial nature of the topic but proceeded to give the platform to Paul Moder, an actor and ‘film armourer,’ to propagate his revisionist narrative of the tragedy. Moder alleged that the massacre was orchestrated to facilitate the implementation of stringent gun laws in Australia following the incident.
Moder’s outlandish assertions included the suggestion that Bryant was not the actual perpetrator of the massacre but was coerced into participating in a covert operation linked to mind control experiments. According to Moder, Bryant was manipulated into carrying out the shootings while being drugged or incapacitated, casting doubt on the official account of the events. Despite the lack of concrete evidence to support his claims, Moder insisted that there was a cover-up surrounding the Port Arthur massacre and criticized the absence of a coronial inquest into the tragedy.
Newman faced backlash for providing a platform for such unfounded theories, with critics questioning the ethical implications of spreading baseless allegations that undermine the memory of the victims and their families. The interview with Moder reignited debates about journalistic responsibility and the boundaries of free speech, especially in the context of sensitive and traumatic events like the Port Arthur massacre. While Newman defended his decision to engage with controversial guests on his podcast, the episode raised concerns about the potential harm caused by promoting conspiracy theories without verifiable evidence.
