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Britt Lapthorne and ugly Australian nationalism
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The family of Britt Lapthorne are currently going through a hell that very few of us – thankfully – have to endure. Their anger and agony at losing their daughter in unclear circumstances in a distant country is understandable. What’s not understandable or acceptable – particularly from politicians who might see Ms Lapthorne’s death as an opportunity to score political points under the guise of “accountability” – is the view that somehow the Australian Federal Police was negligent in its responsibilities in relation to events in Croatia. The confected outrage of George Brandis and Steve Fielding over Mick Keelty’s refusal to condemn Croatian authorities at Senate Estimates reflects the doubtless heartfelt determination of the Lapthorne family, as they told the Herald-Sun, to not allow the AFP “to sacrifice my daughter’s life for the sake of relations.” There’s no evidence anyone asked them to do any such thing. There’s a creeping extraterritoriality in all this, the sort of nationalism that first displayed itself in relation to Gallipoli. At some point in the last decade, as a youth pilgrimage to Turkey fuelled by a Farnsey-and-Chisel soundtrack and plenty of beer became an integral part of Anzac Day, we appropriated Gallipoli as a part of Australian territory. This was despite the fact that it was the spot where Australians, as part of a European conflict, participated in an attack on a third country with whom we had no quarrel of any kind. And despite the fact that the site contains thousands of Turkish dead – brave soldiers who fell defying an invasion of their homeland. To their immense credit, the Turks have welcomed us and worked hard to ensure the site appropriately honours the fallen of both sides. But that’s beside the point for many in the Australian media – it’s all about the Anzac legend. According to DFAT, there were 45 missing Australians abroad as of last week. 45 families who are going through the same emotions that the Lapthornes went through before their worst fears were confirmed. In each case, Australians have no business interfering with how foreign law enforcement or government authorities go about their business. The AFP, mindful of this, acted entirely appropriately in sending a liaison officer to Dubrovnik, but never sought to participate in the investigation. The idea that a Senate committee is entitled to demand that Mick Keelty – who admittedly knows a thing or two about incompetence – give a serve to his Croatian counterparts is ludicrous and counter-productive. How would Australians react if the foreign media reckoned our police forces were hopeless and insisted on foreign detectives undertaking investigations into missing tourists? There are scores of foreign families who have lost relatives in Australia, and you can bet plenty of them weren’t happy with the resulting investigations – with or without reason. Still, we’re not too strong at consistency in Australia, particularly when we’re feeling nationalistic. |
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8 Comments
“Her death is tragic but no excuse for blaming a nation or its police…”
After what has come to light in recent days it seems the Lapthorne’s sense that something was not quite right with the Dubrovnik police investigation was correct. I do admire them for their strength and tenacity in not letting up on this issue whereas many others would have given up long ago. Britt was very fortunate to have had such loving and caring parents. More strength to them!
Last line para two. “The troops on the Kokoda Track were, (not was) deserving of a legend.”
Good article. The Libs’ cheap politiking, while fully approved by the Lapthorne family, was disgraceful. With all due respect to the Lapthornes, they are hardly in a position to make a rational assessment of the AFP’s handling of the situation (including taking into account the terratorial/constitutional issues) while they are grieving a terrible loss. That Brandis would exploit a family in such a situation speaks volumes about the rodent.
The late and unlamented John Winston Howard adored fueling the ANZAC ‘legend’, and exalted in banging the Nationalistic drum. It gave the little man a feeling of power. Now he’s gone we should attempt to rein it in.
For all the tears and heroics one thing is clear. Australians went to fight a foreign war, to fight for a foreign country (England), against a foe that wasn’t theirs. And out of this tawdry scenario a ‘legend’ was born. The whole wretched performance was repeated again in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq-all for another foreign country (America and the UN in Afghanistan) Australians should die of shame for allowing the slaughter of their sons and daughters for foreign powers. Why not wait until Oz is attacked, as it happened in WWII in the Pacific? The troops on the Kokoda track was deserving of a legend, even if the overall commander was an American.
As for the most unfortunate backpacker- I just can’t escape the feeling that Britt’s parents sold their collective souls and their poor daughter’s sad finale, for as much money as the media market would bear. To cash in on your child’s death is obscene. They have reveled in their Faustian contract and now politicians and bureaucrats are being beaten up in the media because of them. Hell, even Judas Iscariot only shopped Christ for thirty pieces of silver. If he had waited long enough he could have made a fortune flogging off Christ’s death. “Your correspondents at ‘The Hebrew Times’ revealed today the epic story of one man’s crusade to fight for religious freedom was cruelly ruined by the Romans.” .
“Free pieces of his cross to be won. Valid for the first 200 readers…conditions apply. Applicants must prove their sincerity.”
For Jewish readers: There is no way that I would wish to offended you: I couldn’t think of another title for my fictitious newspaper.
i so totally agree, government sleaze ball’s, can’t live with’em but boy yes we could live without them, please.
Me thinks a moral or two has being lost behind all the grief occurred by Britt’s family, when they’ve decided to form their own missing Aussies’ trust fund, association, or whatever. Even if Britt was proven to be a victim of foul play, the moral to this all is when you’re overseas you should always take precautions necessary and to stick with others’ you’re with and know, especially during the night, or under any murky circumstances.
Although it’s understandable, I can’t believe that Britt’s family (particularly her father Dale) has just simply brushed aside all notions that her daughter being drunk may (or that her drinks may have being spiked?) be a contributing factor to her disappearance. Telling how sweet she was, etc as a way of them trying to come to terms with their recent loss.
For those suggesting a boycott of Croatia as a result of this how come there’s no such talk of a Bali boycott in the aftermath of the bombings there that was clearly an attack on Australians? If you want to boycott Croatian products, or the country itself then that’s fine by me. It’s not as though Croatia isn’t even an important trading partner for Australia, unlike our Asian neighbours to the north, e.g. China. So if such an incident where one of “our” own backpackers goes missing in China, how are we going to boycott that country when even our Speedos are made over there? No I’m not saying this about China because I’m racist, nor am I even interested in the issue of race.
Now maybe there may be a perception that Croatia isn’t really a safe place to visit (we do know how perceptions don’t always match reality) if It was proven that Britt was indeed a victim of a deliberate attack. Perhaps that’s why Britt’s father reckons that the Dubrovnik police are only good at being “traffic police”; for fear that such a revelation may harm the local tourism and hospitality industry?
And what has come to light? All I see is people so desperate for their daughter to have been murdered they let channel 7 have it so…… They kept talking about her in the present tense, so very sad. I just thought the whole story made them look like they were clutching at straws and there were more holes in the SN investigation then swiss cheese. I think it made it worse especially coming at the time it did, with bushfire victims and a little girl being thrown from a bridge. Maybe SN should lend there hand to something more foul like the shooting by police of a 15 year old boy.
This article reflects my growing unease with every appearance of the Lapthorne family on TV. Whilst understanding their grief, the constant attacks on the Croatian authorities and people (“they keep their mouths shut”) by Mr Lapthorne were unnecessary. He refuses to believe that his daughter could have died accidentally whilst drunk, stating that she hardly ever drank alcohol, however every photo of her shown on her holiday shows her with a drink. Her death is tragic but no excuse for blaming a nation or its police - especially as here in WA we have the Claremont serial killer and others still no closer to being caught but where two people have been locked up for decades who were innocent !