"Ecrasez l'infame!" - Voltaire 

The Townsville Taliban And Telstra Bigpond  Try-on

In June 2000, as a participant in USENET discussion groups
I confronted a small group of right wing bigots who had declared 
their intention to make the aus.culture.true-blue newsgroup a "Home"
for Pauline Hanson's One Nation (P.H.O.N.). ( #1)

Opposing their intention to turn a cultural newsgroup into a front for the PHONies 
earned me their enmity, and I found myself the object 
of jackal pack witch-hunts and pogroms, both online and offline.
As many of the PHONies were Queensland based 
they became known colloquially as the Townsville Taliban. 

One of their many slanders was to claim that 
I was guilty of net fraud and impersonation, 
something I had in fact been a victim of for a year,
as confessed by one of the particular offenders. (#2)

But by co-ordinated and concerted campaigns of complaint
they managed to intimidate my ISP, Telstra Bigpond to act
hastily, without due process or even competent investigation 
and to terminate my account!

It took me six months, though a complaint lodged with the
Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman
to establish that I was the victim, not the perpertrator
of slander, misrepresentation and incompetence. 

Most of that time was taken up trying to extract 
from Telstra the exact date, time and message id 
of the event which caused Telstra to act.
As soon as the TIO required this basic information finally be produced 
I was able to establish instantly that it was not mine, 
and that TELSTRA had lied to the TIO! 

As a result I received a fulsome written apology 
and six months free internet access. 

I attach scanned images of the final TIO communication,
I have removed the names of the TIO officers and other
individuals involved in the case, at their request when
this public release of the apology was discussed.

Despite this vindication, only possible in a quasi judicial forum 
where all the facts could be examined, and those making accusations
compelled to support them, the unsupported slanders continue
as they began a year ago, unsubstantiated and baseless. (#3) 

"nemo me impune lacessit!" 

Footnotes

(#1)

From: nevilled@netspace.net.au (Neville Duguid)
Subject: Reclaim aus.politics - piss the PHONies off to aus.culture.true-blue
Date: 01 Feb 2000 00:00:00 GMT
Message-ID: <1e5awfm.1pqd68a1j47r2oN@dialup-m1-23.brisbane.netspace.net.au>
Newsgroups: aus.politics

(#2)

From: "Mosley" <sugaray@ii.net>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.australian, aus.general, aus.politics
Subject: Re: Che defines Aussie Swellhead Test
Date: Tue, 16 May 2000 14:43:14 +0800
Message-ID: <3920edae$0$20234@motown.iinet.net.au>

That's right Che.
I have impersonated only 2 people.
sandgroper, and you.

(#4)

From: Lisa (lisalis@wantree.com.au)
Subject: Re: "ATTENTION" (FORGERIES) in RFD aus.culture.true-blue 
Newsgroups: aus.net.news, aus.general, soc.culture.australian
Date: 2000/04/24 

From: Lisa (lisalis@iinet.net.au)
Subject: Re: Abusive and ad hominem threads by "Che Guava" 
Newsgroups: aus.net.news
Date: 2001-06-22 09:15:02 PST