Barry Morris
Encyclopedia
Barry Morris was an Australia
n politician, who in 1995 was jailed for making bomb and death threats. The incident was considered a key factor in the Labor Party
being returned to power in New South Wales
after seven years in Opposition.
in 1935, Morris initially followed family tradition and entered the rural industries of fruit and grazing, before finding success as owner of an oil company, Morris Petroleum, and as a property developer. The latter earned him the nickname 'The King of Little Hartley', given his interest in developing the small Blue Mountains village in which he then lived. He served as the mayor of Blue Mountains City Council before entering state politics. He was elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
for the seat of Blue Mountains in 1988, as the candidate for the Liberal Party
, defeating the Labor incumbent, Bob Debus
.
On the evening of 16 June 1993, a phone threat was made to the offices of a local paper, the Blue Mountains Gazette, by a man disguising his voice with an Italian accent. The caller warned that he was planning another bombing, designed to kill John Pascoe. A tape of the message was passed on to the Labor Party by an unknown source, allowing the Opposition Leader, Bob Carr
, to bring the matter to wide attention via a Question On Notice asked on 12 April 1994, suggesting Morris was responsible for the call and may have played some part in the Blue Mountains Council bombing.
On 11 May 1994, Morris was charged with four counts of making a statement causing a person to fear for his safety and four counts of using a telephone to menace a person, for calls that took place on 29 June 1990, 14 October 1991, 16 June 1993 and 15 April 1994. One further charge was laid for the call on 16 June 1993, for making a statement causing the Blue Mountains Council to fear for their safety.
Morris resigned from Parliament on December 14, 1994. Under pressure from Premier John Fahey
, he also gave up his membership of the Liberal Party. As a State election was due to take place in a matter of months, it was decided that no by-election would be held for his replacement.
in 1976. This was again the case in 1995, with the seat returning to its previous member, Bob Debus
, and the Liberal Party narrowly losing government to Labor.
Morris was condemned to two years in prison, although this sentence was later reduced to one year on appeal. He served his time at Berrima Jail. Embittered by his experiences, he contributed to small publications and began to self-publish a vituperative newsletter, named Berrima Murmurs, which criticised many of his former colleagues in the Liberal Party. He died in Sydney in 2001. No one was charged over the bombing of Blue Mountains Council, and the crime officially remains unsolved.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician, who in 1995 was jailed for making bomb and death threats. The incident was considered a key factor in the Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
being returned to power in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
after seven years in Opposition.
Career
Born in LithgowLithgow, New South Wales
Lithgow is a city in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia and is the centre of the local political division City of Lithgow. It is located in a mountain valley named Lithgow's Valley by John Oxley in honour of William Lithgow, the first Auditor-General of New South Wales.Lithgow is...
in 1935, Morris initially followed family tradition and entered the rural industries of fruit and grazing, before finding success as owner of an oil company, Morris Petroleum, and as a property developer. The latter earned him the nickname 'The King of Little Hartley', given his interest in developing the small Blue Mountains village in which he then lived. He served as the mayor of Blue Mountains City Council before entering state politics. He was elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
for the seat of Blue Mountains in 1988, as the candidate for the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
, defeating the Labor incumbent, Bob Debus
Bob Debus
Robert John "Bob" Debus AM , a former Australian politician, has been a member of the Australian House of Representatives and the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing the Australian Labor Party. Debus has been a minister in both the Australian and New South Wales governments...
.
John Pascoe and Blue Mountains City Council
The already poor relations between Morris and some members of Blue Mountains City Council further deteriorated when the idea of supporting increased truck freight passage through the area met with their stiff opposition and accusations of a conflict of interest - particularly from John Pascoe, the council's alderman and a vocal environmental activist. Already Pascoe had clashed with Morris on numerous issues, from the fluoridation of the local water supply (Pascoe opposed this) to the planned sale of the historic Sorenson's Nursury at Leura. Pascoe alleged that pro-development advocates such as Morris were a serious threat to the natural heritage of the world famous Blue Mountains area.Blue Mountains Council Bombing
On 3 March 1992, a bomb ripped through the chambers of the Blue Mountains City Council during a council meeting. Though nobody was injured, the blast was powerful enough to break downstairs windows, dislodge brickwork, and send shrapnel throughout the building. Police suggested that the culprit was a resident motivated by controversy over local development issues, but were unable to charge a suspect, and the case was dropped.On the evening of 16 June 1993, a phone threat was made to the offices of a local paper, the Blue Mountains Gazette, by a man disguising his voice with an Italian accent. The caller warned that he was planning another bombing, designed to kill John Pascoe. A tape of the message was passed on to the Labor Party by an unknown source, allowing the Opposition Leader, Bob Carr
Bob Carr
Robert John "Bob" Carr , Australian statesman, was Premier of New South Wales from 4 April 1995 to 3 August 2005. He holds the record for the longest continuous service as premier of NSW...
, to bring the matter to wide attention via a Question On Notice asked on 12 April 1994, suggesting Morris was responsible for the call and may have played some part in the Blue Mountains Council bombing.
Questioning and resignation
The Opposition embarked on several tumultuous weeks of questioning, during which it was revealed that John Pascoe had previously received a number of death threats throughout 1990 and 1991. It was also alleged that another Blue Mountains councillor, Carol Gaul, had attempted to report a phoned threat several days following the bombing, but the report was not followed up.On 11 May 1994, Morris was charged with four counts of making a statement causing a person to fear for his safety and four counts of using a telephone to menace a person, for calls that took place on 29 June 1990, 14 October 1991, 16 June 1993 and 15 April 1994. One further charge was laid for the call on 16 June 1993, for making a statement causing the Blue Mountains Council to fear for their safety.
Morris resigned from Parliament on December 14, 1994. Under pressure from Premier John Fahey
John Fahey (politician)
John Joseph Fahey, AC is a former Premier of New South Wales and Federal Minister for Finance in Australia. John Fahey is currently the President of the World Anti-Doping Agency. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1984 to 1996 and the federal House of Representatives...
, he also gave up his membership of the Liberal Party. As a State election was due to take place in a matter of months, it was decided that no by-election would be held for his replacement.
Aftermath
Despite the fact that he was still facing criminal charges, Morris ran as an Independent in the 1995 election, gaining 18% of the primary vote. Always the Blue Mountains was considered a marginal seat, and the Labor Party's success in winning it had been an indispensable factor 19 years before, in the election of the Wran GovernmentNeville Wran
Neville Kenneth Wran, AC, CNZM, QC was the Premier of New South Wales from 1976 until 1986. He was National President of the Australian Labor Party from 1980 to 1986 and Chairman of both the Lionel Murphy Foundation and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation from 1986...
in 1976. This was again the case in 1995, with the seat returning to its previous member, Bob Debus
Bob Debus
Robert John "Bob" Debus AM , a former Australian politician, has been a member of the Australian House of Representatives and the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing the Australian Labor Party. Debus has been a minister in both the Australian and New South Wales governments...
, and the Liberal Party narrowly losing government to Labor.
Morris was condemned to two years in prison, although this sentence was later reduced to one year on appeal. He served his time at Berrima Jail. Embittered by his experiences, he contributed to small publications and began to self-publish a vituperative newsletter, named Berrima Murmurs, which criticised many of his former colleagues in the Liberal Party. He died in Sydney in 2001. No one was charged over the bombing of Blue Mountains Council, and the crime officially remains unsolved.