WHEN REDgroup, the owner of Angus & Robertson and Borders, went into voluntary administration this week, online selling and protectionism were cited as culprits. But were they? Many independent bookshops are scathing about the way REDgroup went about its business and amazed about the spin management is putting on its problems.

virulently anti-Semitic titles from their websites, following an investigation by The AJN.

Among the poisonous works that could be purchased on the Borders and Angus & Robertson websites were The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, which alleges that Jews are plotting to take over the world, and The International Jew by Henry Ford, which states: “Whichever way you turn to trace the harmful streams of influence that flow through society, you come upon a group of Jews.”

As a result of my work on the Internet I wrote a book based on three years of research. I invited 30 reporters to the Sydney launch of "Murder by Media, Death of Democracy in Australia". They were supplied with advance copies of the book. Not one attended. A single reporter appeared who took no part but who, I later found out, had been sent to dob in any of his mates who might have dared attend. This unsavoury character who refused to leave his card or give his name disappeared as soon as I had finished my launch speech. No questions were asked.


Three weeks after the launch the book was banned by Dymocks. The command coming from no lesser a person than Chairman John Forsyth who contacted his distribution lady personally and demanded its withdrawal. The book had been selling well at Dymocks up to that time. I was later informed that Forsyth, worth about $200 million according to BRW, had had a call from Kerry Packer.


In a fax received from the Managing Director of Dymocks, Keith Perkin, he writes,


"I note your comment that the book cannot be the subject of legal threats because 'it is based on fact and what reporters have written over the last three years'. Even if that is in fact the case, we have been advised that truth alone is not a defence to defamation actions in Australia..".


and the following, not to subtle, warning:


"To remove any possible doubt in your mind, I wish to stress that Dymocks does not exercise any censorship role in the books which it sells, nor is it influenced in any way by political considerations in determining which titles it will stock. The sole ground of its decision in this case is the possibility that the book may be defamatory. In view of the comment made on the back cover of your book relating to printers, I put you on notice that any statement which you make which suggests that Dymocks' decision resulted in any way from an attempt to censor your book and the views expressed in it from being circulated, will result in the commencement of legal proceedings against you without notice."


My political views have apparently had a bearing on their decision to withdraw the book, as the letter states, '... in view of the close involvement which you have with One Nation Party, you are not a disinterested observer of the matters which are referred to in the book'.


He concludes,

"As this letter provides you with the reasons for our decision, we require that the present references to Dymocks and its stores be removed from your web site, and that any further reference to Dymocks be limited to a statement as follows:"Dymocks has resolved to withdraw the book from sale because of a concern that it may be defamatory."