Organisers slow to learn from experience

Neil Hollebone might still wonder what all the fuss has been about, after he organised the “Inside story of Ewen MacDonald” event at Havelock North Club.

At first glance, lawyer Peter Coles talking about how he helped defend a man accused of murdering his brother-in-law, sounds interesting, if not a touch morbid.

At $100 a head, with a threecourse lunch, it’s within the reach of many Havelock North budgets.

Kylee Guy, the wife of the murdered man Scott Guy, lives in Hawke’s Bay though, where she has a new partner, and is trying to get on with her life.

She was disgusted at the “repugnant” event, which would have made $1000 or so profit.

The event has now been cancelled.

Havelock North Club has apologised and said “we would like to express our deepest condolences to Kylee, her family and anyone who has been affected by the event being held at our venue by one of our members”.

Hollebone (the member mentioned above) has also made a statement, saying the event has been cancelled and he “expresses his regret to Mr Coles and to those who have already paid to attend the event for any inconvenience by this decision.

“Mr Coles has kindly offered to speak to club members at a rescheduled date where attendance will be free of charge.”

It’s hard to not observe that the more sincere apology comes from the club, which all along has distanced itself from the event with a “we’re just the venue” stance.

It’s hard to not observe that the organiser’s biggest concern seems to be the impact of the cancellation on members and the speaker — not the distress caused to Kylee Guy.

Many people were disgusted at this event, not just at the commercialisation, but at the mere notion that the event was “okay” in the first place . . . especially in this day and age of “kindness” in a country ravaged by Covid 19 and still bruised by the senseless hatred-driven mass murder in Christchurch.

Hollebone observed earlier this week that the profit was small, and the attendees wouldn’t be hearing anything that wasn’t already “out there”.

Which is fine, except that revictimisation doesn’t need fresh information or facts to hurt someone.

The saddest thing though, apart from the fact the event was proposed in the first place, is that those who organised it don’t seem to have learned anything from the process.

Not yet, anyway.