Review 21.18
11 November - 24 November 1996

It's all a question of breeding

Port Lincoln Mayor Peter Davis is not shy about his controversial opinions, already drawing criticism from the likes of Senator Nick Bolkus, South Australian Premier Dean Brown and now Prime Minister John Howard. He has also been stripped of his power to conduct citizenship ceremonies. An unapologetic member of the right wing extremist League of Rights for over 30 years, Davis' latest outburst in support of Independent MP Pauline Hanson has prompted the resignation of all but one of his fellow Port Lincoln councillors.

The latest controversy erupted last month when Davis issued a media release on Port Lincoln council letterhead pledging his support for Pauline Hanson and his opposition to multiculturalism. Soon after, during an interview with the Adelaide Advertiser, he argued that children of inter-racial partnerships were "mongrels". "If you crossbreed animals you finish up with mongrels." For nine of his ten fellow Port Lincoln councillors, this was the last straw.

A specially convened council meeting on October 21 saw them resign en masse, disassociating themselves from the Mayor's statement. Davis argued that his use of the term "mongrel" was taken out of context and distorted by the media.

But less than a week later during a debate with Anne Henderson of The Sydney Institute on the Nine Network's Midday Show, Davis had again become more circumspect. Challenged about his use of the word "mongrel", he said he was "not prepared to enter into that low level of abrasive, emotional debate", then refused to specifically confirm the quote attributed to him. He tried to deny the claim and finally queried its source, saying that he hadn't seen it - (presumably he had no interest in a national newspaper article devoted to him.)

But, when asked whether he thought inter-racial marriage was wrong, Davis said it was a "question of scale" and went on to postulate a pseudo-scientific argument that "as a centrifuge separates matter, so race separates people." Anne Henderson took about two and a half minutes to demolish that crackpot theory and the smug little smirk on Davis's face soon disappeared.

Under the glare of national publicity, Davis tried to moderate his tone. But the contrast could hardly have been more evident with Davis' unreported but unequivocal remarks three weeks earlier at the League of Rights 50th Anniversary Seminar on October 5, in Melbourne. In the front row of that conference, the Review was well positioned to hear the League of Rights special guest speaker Mayor Davis from Port Lincoln, lecture all on "monoculturalism" and racial purity. This time Davis was on home turf, with a crowd that shared and endorsed his views. There was no holding back Mayor Davis here, not with all these fellow travellers present. Oh, and by the way Mr Davis, there's no debate about what you said. We were there and we've got the tape recording.

Indeed, Mayor Davis' address to the League made clear that his use of the term mongrel to describe children of mixed marriages was no accident. His address, ostensibly on 'The Struggle to Retain Representative Government', moved quickly from an advocacy of citizens initiated referenda to a series of dictionary definitions supporting pseudo-scientific racial theories. These included: culture, race, racism and then miscegenation - "...it is interbreeding of races, especially where differences of colour are involved. In other words, if you mingle races, which is what multiculturalism is about, the real word we should be using is miscegenation.

"If in fact you practice miscegenation, you finish up, by cross-breeding - and it's pretty heavy stuff, I looked up the word mongrel - ...and here's the definition: 'A plant or animal, especially a dog, of mixed or unknown breeding; of mixed origin, breeding or character; a term of abuse' ".

"If you are a child of a mixed race, particularly... Asian-Caucasian or Aboriginal-white, you are a mongrel and that's what happens when you crossbreed dogs or whatever."

It was clear throughout the address that, according to Davis, multiculturalism and the mixing of cultures and races is really miscegenation. Employing this archaic and insidious term, Davis was able to take the short conceptual leap required to redefine multiculturalism as interbreeding and mongrelisation of races.

But Davis' agenda seems to be more than just purifying 'White Australia'. Council opponents in Port Lincoln accuse him of inciting division and fear within his own community and claim his comments are designed to gain him a national media profile as a prospective candidate in the next State or Federal election.

Councillor Greg Anderson, a Port Lincoln solicitor who stood down as Deputy Mayor, says he is not surprised at Davis' latest outburst: "He's said many things in the past that were clearly racist, but he's gone much further this time. He's been encouraged by Pauline Hanson's recent speech to Parliament and I think he's trying to align himself with her, although his position is a far more radical one." Anderson argues that Davis' agenda is a career in Federal politics as a Senator for the (Graeme Campbell) Australia First Party. "I think he's just getting as much publicity now as he can, whilst he's the Mayor, to make sure that he has a high enough profile when that time comes."

Councillor Rodney Cocks, who is also Principal of Port Lincoln High School, told the Review he suspects Peter Davis is "not a well man" but acknowledges the strong network of supporters Davis has in the area through his membership of the League of Rights. A parent/teacher meeting held at Port Lincoln High last week to discuss Aboriginal teaching curriculum and the Davis controversy was interrupted when a group of Davis' League of Rights supporters - described by Cr Cocks as "fervent"- showed up to defend the Mayor. The supporters eventually left after a heated argument, whereafter the meeting had to be held in a closed session.

Councillor Anderson also believes Peter Davis has sought to give the League of Rights a higher profile by deliberately provoking a reaction from other councillors when he included in his annual Mayoral Report references to his attendances at League of Rights functions. "Now, that's got nothing to do with his Mayoral duties and he knows that, but he's a clever fellow - the council challenged him and resolved to strike those items off the Mayoral Report, but all of that got him the publicity that he wanted," says Anderson. Listing the chairing of League meetings as one of his official mayoral duties led the then Immigration and Ethnic Affairs Minister, Senator Bolkus, to remove Davis' authority to conduct citizenship ceremonies in September 1995. Councillor Jill Parker, until recently Deputy Mayor of Port Lincoln, told the Review that Davis also distributes "quite a lot of (League) literature amongst the councillors."

As a long time member of the League of Rights, Peter Davis is well versed in the League's ide-ology. Their belief in conspiratorial Jewish financial world domination appears to regularly emerge as one of Davis' major themes. Cr Anderson recalls that Davis has frequently attacked the financial statements of the council, claiming they are inaccurate, deceptive and contain misinformation. Councillor Rodney Cocks told the Review that Mayor Davis has even referred to the works of revisionist 'historian' and Nazi apologist David Irving during council meetings to explain about the Jewish 'danger'. "We might be talking about storm water drains or something, and because the matter has some money attached to it, he will say 'I warn you councillors that if we go into any more debt these banks run by those bloody Jews...' and off he goes. Then he'll say '... you can read the book - here it is,' and it's like gospel; he usually waves one of Irving's books in the air."

Davis took the opportunity recently, whilst interviewed by 6PR's Howard Sattler, to quote from David Irving's biography of Goebbels. He also displayed the book prominently when interviewed for The Australian and posed reading it when photographed by the Adelaide Advertiser on October 22. During his Midday Show appearance he described Irving as "a magnificent writer" but when invited to agree with Irving's assertion that the Holocaust has been exaggerated, said "I have no idea because I wasn't around then." (Presumably Davis also questions the League of Rights' "Christian" charter. He could hardly believe in the Bible as he "wasn't around" in those times either.) Davis was less equivocal in October last year, when he told the Adelaide Advertiser "it is disputable whether or not Jews were consciously gassed in concentration camps."

Last year, Councillor Cocks and his wife were guests of Mayor Davis on Boston Island (a small island off the coast of Port Lincoln which has been owned by the Davis family since the 1950s). He recalls Davis as a charming host but one evening after dinner the conversation turned towards Davis' pet topics: "We sat down and had a cup of tea with him and he brought out a couple of books that were quite prominent on his bookcase. He talked about his family background, his influences and then showed us these books. One was by Ayn Rand, then he said 'Well, have you ever seen this one about the banks?' It was by a fellow by the name of (Eric) Butler (League of Rights Advisory National Director) and there was one talking about the 'Protocols of (the Elders of) Zion' - that talked about proving a Jewish plot."

But Peter Davis isn't only concerned with 'Jewish plots'. In 1989 he called for an end to Japanese investment in local industries, suggesting "the best place for Japanese investment is back in the Sea of Japan." Reaffirming the same sentiments last year, he claimed "I never have agreed with it. I think it's a bloody disgrace."

The comments have sparked outrage from local marine industry figures who see Port Lincoln's lucrative seafood export industry to Japan and Asia under threat. Over the coming summer, Port Lincoln tuna farms will produce around $90 million worth of fish, for which Japan is the biggest and richest market.

In February this year, Davis and a political soulmate, Mayor of nearby Port Augusta Joy Baluch, issued a joint letter to regional newspapers in support of Australians Against Further Immigration Senate candidates in the Federal Election. Referring to Asians the statement demanded that "minority groups and bullies" be prevented from "dictating to our way of life in this region". Mrs Baluch then blamed Asians for various drug trafficking, unemployment, prostitution and urban violence. Describing them as "scum", she claimed "These are the ones, these unscrupulous mongrels (there's that word again), who are going to control this country." The pair also embarrassed the Coalition by supporting the Liberal member for Grey, Barry Wakelin.

Port Lincoln councillor Wes Trotman confirmed to the Review that Peter Davis has "repeatedly expressed his distaste for Asians, particularly the Japanese" and revealed Davis' discomfort with the sister-city relationship Port Lincoln holds with the Japanese city of Muroto. The Review has obtained a letter drafted by Davis last July to the Chairman of the Muroto Friendship Committee in Japan. The letter, which Cr Trotman describes as "highly insulting," reads: "Dear (Mayor), I thank you for your offer to include a message within your bulletin marking five years of exchanges. It is good that the youth of our cities are meeting. With time, the excesses and wrongs of the past may be forgiven... Let us hope so. Yours sincerely, Peter Davis." The letter was never sent - after the Town Clerk saw a draft and raised it with the council, who rejected in a council motion the forwarding of the letter. Councillor Trotman says he has been contacted by a local member of the Muroto Friendship Committee, concerned that the story of Mayor Davis' "mongrel" comments has reached Japanese newspapers and is damaging the image of Port Lincoln with its friends in Muroto.

Peter Davis' future as Mayor of Port Lincoln hangs in the balance. Each of the nine councillors who resigned will recontest their seats when elections are held on December 14 - should they succeed, Davis will face a moral imperative to resign or, at least, moderate his public comments. But if Davis is eventually forced out, his recent attendance at a private meeting of Graeme Campbell's Australia First Party is a sure indication of where he will emerge next.