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| Chiropractor not rebuked by health watchdogs over racist posts about Nova Peris | Chiropractor not rebuked by health watchdogs over racist posts about Nova Peris |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| The New South Wales chiropractor who admitted posting racist messages to the Facebook page of the former Labor senator Nova Peris has not been disciplined by health watchdogs. | The New South Wales chiropractor who admitted posting racist messages to the Facebook page of the former Labor senator Nova Peris has not been disciplined by health watchdogs. |
| Chris Nelson, 64, pleaded guilty at the Woy Woy local court on Tuesday to one count of using a carriage service to offend. | Chris Nelson, 64, pleaded guilty at the Woy Woy local court on Tuesday to one count of using a carriage service to offend. |
| He was arrested and charged in late May over a comment on the former Northern Territory senator’s Facebook page, in which he called her a “black cunt” and told her to “go back to the bush”. | He was arrested and charged in late May over a comment on the former Northern Territory senator’s Facebook page, in which he called her a “black cunt” and told her to “go back to the bush”. |
| Racism @ItStopsWithMe @RecAustralia pic.twitter.com/sknUTK0ThQ | Racism @ItStopsWithMe @RecAustralia pic.twitter.com/sknUTK0ThQ |
| At the time he told media he had been “the victim of a really horrible and extremely vicious hacking”. | At the time he told media he had been “the victim of a really horrible and extremely vicious hacking”. |
| Nelson, a long-time member of the Liberal party and a regular presence at branch meetings in Woy Woy, was expelled after charges were laid in May. | Nelson, a long-time member of the Liberal party and a regular presence at branch meetings in Woy Woy, was expelled after charges were laid in May. |
| The Rotary Club of which Nelson was a former member also apologised to Peris over Twitter after she shared a screenshot of his comment to her. | The Rotary Club of which Nelson was a former member also apologised to Peris over Twitter after she shared a screenshot of his comment to her. |
| @NovaPeris Hi Nova we just wanted to apologise to you. Chris is an ex member of Rotary & his horrible comments do not represent us. | @NovaPeris Hi Nova we just wanted to apologise to you. Chris is an ex member of Rotary & his horrible comments do not represent us. |
| But professional bodies have not taken action against Nelson or condemned his comments. | But professional bodies have not taken action against Nelson or condemned his comments. |
| Nelson remains a registered chiropractor and osteopath with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra), with no reprimands or notations listed against his public record. | Nelson remains a registered chiropractor and osteopath with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra), with no reprimands or notations listed against his public record. |
| A spokeswoman said Ahpra was prevented by federal law from commenting on individual practitioners or matters, and that complaints in NSW and Queensland were managed by state regulators. | A spokeswoman said Ahpra was prevented by federal law from commenting on individual practitioners or matters, and that complaints in NSW and Queensland were managed by state regulators. |
| In NSW, that is the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) and the relevant professional council supported by the Health Professional Councils Authority – in this case, the NSW Chiropractic Council. | In NSW, that is the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) and the relevant professional council supported by the Health Professional Councils Authority – in this case, the NSW Chiropractic Council. |
| The Ahpra spokeswoman said that its public register was updated as soon as it was informed by a NSW regulator that it had taken action against a practitioner required his or her registration status to be changed. | The Ahpra spokeswoman said that its public register was updated as soon as it was informed by a NSW regulator that it had taken action against a practitioner required his or her registration status to be changed. |
| Spokespeople for the HCCC and the NSW Chiropractic Council confirmed to Guardian Australia that both bodies were aware that Nelson had pleaded guilty, and were “assessing the available information”. An investigation was not under way. | Spokespeople for the HCCC and the NSW Chiropractic Council confirmed to Guardian Australia that both bodies were aware that Nelson had pleaded guilty, and were “assessing the available information”. An investigation was not under way. |
| The Chiropractic Board of Australia’s code of conduct, by which all registered practitioners are bound, demands “culturally safe and sensitive practice”. | The Chiropractic Board of Australia’s code of conduct, by which all registered practitioners are bound, demands “culturally safe and sensitive practice”. |
| “Knowledge for, respect for, and sensitivity towards the cultural needs of the community you serve, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians,” is highlighted as a tenet of good practice. | “Knowledge for, respect for, and sensitivity towards the cultural needs of the community you serve, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians,” is highlighted as a tenet of good practice. |
| Related: Chiropractor admits posting abusive online messages to Nova Peris | Related: Chiropractor admits posting abusive online messages to Nova Peris |
| Lenny Aronsten, a physiotherapist based in Hobart, said he emailed the chiropractic council to inquire what disciplinary action it intended to take against Nelson in light of his guilty plea, and received a “clinical ... non-committal response”. | Lenny Aronsten, a physiotherapist based in Hobart, said he emailed the chiropractic council to inquire what disciplinary action it intended to take against Nelson in light of his guilty plea, and received a “clinical ... non-committal response”. |
| In his email to the council he condemned Nelson’s “vile” comments and said he was “not fit to practise as a health professional”. | In his email to the council he condemned Nelson’s “vile” comments and said he was “not fit to practise as a health professional”. |
| “Nelson appears to be not only a completely ignorant menace, it is people with those attitudes that perpetuate vulgar stereotypes and hatred of Aboriginal people- without any understanding or inquiry as to cause and effect,” he said. | “Nelson appears to be not only a completely ignorant menace, it is people with those attitudes that perpetuate vulgar stereotypes and hatred of Aboriginal people- without any understanding or inquiry as to cause and effect,” he said. |
| The NSW Chiropractic Council offered to record his email as a complaint but did not suggest that the council would pursue action against Nelson. | |
| Aronsten told Guardian Australia he did not intend to lodge a formal complaint with the council but was “disappointed” by its response, which he said seemed to put the onus on him to condemn Nelson’s behaviour. | Aronsten told Guardian Australia he did not intend to lodge a formal complaint with the council but was “disappointed” by its response, which he said seemed to put the onus on him to condemn Nelson’s behaviour. |
| He did not know Nelson, but had been “saddened and enraged” by his public abuse of Peris. | He did not know Nelson, but had been “saddened and enraged” by his public abuse of Peris. |
| “My purpose in saying something wasn’t to crucify one person,” he said. “But it seems more than just an offhand comment. The guy set out to menace, really. | “My purpose in saying something wasn’t to crucify one person,” he said. “But it seems more than just an offhand comment. The guy set out to menace, really. |
| “It’s really hard to describe the emotions [language like that] can evoke sometimes if you’ve worked at an Indigenous community, or any place of deprivation. ... And in your own country, too.” | “It’s really hard to describe the emotions [language like that] can evoke sometimes if you’ve worked at an Indigenous community, or any place of deprivation. ... And in your own country, too.” |
| Aronsten, who stood for the Greens in the Alice Springs electorate of Greatorex in the 2008 Northern Territory election, worked for many years as a health practitioner in remote Indigenous communities. | Aronsten, who stood for the Greens in the Alice Springs electorate of Greatorex in the 2008 Northern Territory election, worked for many years as a health practitioner in remote Indigenous communities. |
| He said that experience had shown him the widespread prejudice and stereotypes that exist about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. | He said that experience had shown him the widespread prejudice and stereotypes that exist about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. |
| “It’s quite disturbing there’s that disconnect between what you experience on the ground and that national debate,” he said. | “It’s quite disturbing there’s that disconnect between what you experience on the ground and that national debate,” he said. |
| Nelson will be sentenced at Woy Woy local court on 5 July. Using a carriage service to menace has a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment. | Nelson will be sentenced at Woy Woy local court on 5 July. Using a carriage service to menace has a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment. |