‘Remorse’ for Hitler radio game
On Triple J's breakfast program in 2012, Alex Dyson joined co-host Tom Ballard for "Six Degrees of Hitlerisation".
A former Triple J radio host who took part in an on-air game trivialising the Holocaust 12 years ago has apologised to the Jewish community after his involvement resurfaced during his run for federal Parliament.
On Triple J’s breakfast program in 2012, Alex Dyson joined co-host Tom Ballard for “Six Degrees of Hitlerisation”, inviting listeners to call in and link a random, everyday topic to Adolf Hitler.
During the segment, Ballard made a joke linking 21st century wind farms to “fan forced” Nazi crematory ovens. It triggered an apology from Triple J. Ballard separately apologised.
Dyson, however, had not apologised – but his involvement in the on-air segment gained renewed attention after Goldstein MP Zoe Daniel, an ABC alumna, endorsed his run as an independent candidate for the federal seat of Wannon in southwestern Victoria at next year’s elections.
Encouraging several hundred supporters at his campaign launch in August, Daniel told the crowd, “Talk to 10 people, and ask each of them to talk to 10 people, and each of them to talk to 10 people.”
Contacted by The AJN this week, Daniel, whose Goldstein electorate is home to a large Jewish population, including many Holocaust survivors, said she was not aware of the incident when she endorsed Dyson.
But she added, “As I understand it, the appalling joke that rightfully caused offence was not spoken by Alex, but by his on-air partner. Alex was actually commended at the time by ABC management for his professional handling of the situation in that he shut down the conversation and made it clear it was unacceptable. It was his co-presenter who then issued an on-air apology.”
When The AJN contacted Dyson he said he recalled condemning the joke and moving to a music track. But asked if he now thinks being involved in the on-air Hitler game in the first place was inappropriate, he responded, “I’d agree with that appraisal … you absolutely regret those things happening on your watch … 100 per cent agree … the whole thing was poor … I appreciate being able to express remorse.”
Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dvir Abramovich, who alerted media about the incident 12 years ago, said, “Acknowledging wrongdoing, even after so much time, is an important step. However, sincerity is measured by actions, not just words, and it remains to be seen if this apology is backed by meaningful efforts to educate himself and others about why this segment was so profoundly wrong.”
comments