A site unseen

Hamish Heard
A Torquay councillor has accused Surf Coast Mayor Rose Hodge of turning a blind eye to “evidence” Point Impossible’s nude beach had become a playground for perverts.
The Independent faxed Cr Hodge information from a gay men’s website for arranging public orgies at Point Impossible, sparking an angry reaction from the mayor who labelled it “pornography”.
But Cr Ron Humphrey slammed the mayor’s response, saying the document would be used as a public submission to a panel, including Cr Hodge, to decide whether to push for a nude bathing ban at the beach.
“Rose Hodge has consistently said there was no evidence the nude beach was attracting illegal sexual behaviour – well here it is,” Cr Humphrey said.
He denied the fax was pornographic.
“There were no pictures and no language you wouldn’t hear on television.
“If Cr Hodge is offended by words written by people who use the beach for illegal activity then where’s her compassion for people who no longer use it because they feel threatened?”
The site states Point Impossible is “particularly safe” to meet strangers for sex “because you are not breaking the law by being naked and there is ample opportunity for privacy”.
Comments from a man who claims to be running a local media campaign to keep the beach open to nudists were on the site.
“(The campaign) is being made difficult by the fact that (the website) plays up the nude action here,” the man posted on the site.
“A local journo who interviewed me quoted information from (the site) to prove there is loads of gay sex happening here…we better take this site off the list.”
The man’s profile, including a photograph and a list of his preferred sexual activities, was removed from the site within hours of the web pages arriving on Cr Hodge’s fax.
“I’d suggest Cr Hodge may have played some hand in tipping this pervert off to support her own political cause,” Cr Humphrey said.
A furious Cr Hodge three weeks ago slammed the Independent for sending her the fax, claiming her children had read the documents.
But Cr Humphrey said council-funded fax machines were off limits to non-councillors.
“Confidential information goes through councillors’ faxes – not the sort of information we want to see bandied around the school playground or building sites,” he said.
Cr Hodge refused to comment.