BARNETT ACCUSED OF CAUSING LEDGERS MORE GRIEF
Tim Clarke
November 4, 2008 - 12:39PM
The state opposition says Heath Ledger's family could have been spared more grief if premier Colin Barnett had shown sensitivity before publicly casting doubt on naming Perth's new theatre complex after the Dark Knight star.
Mr Barnett admitted this morning that continuing public debate over the way the Western Australia should honour Heath Ledger - parked by comments he made last week - was causing even more grief to the dead actors' family.
After casting serious doubts over whether the proposed name of the Heath Ledger Theatre complex would go ahead, the premier said this morning he had had a long conversation with Ledger's father Kim - an old football team-mate - about what should be done to honour the actor.
But Ben Wyatt, opposition arts spokesman, said Barnett had shown 'gross sensitivity' in not contacting the actor's family before raising about the issue.
'Colin Barnett has shown more front than Myer on this one, and certainly I would not treat my old football buddy the way he has treated Kim Ledger,' Wyatt told WAtoday.com.au.
'He knew this would cause grief so perhaps he should have made that call to him before he made the decision to raise this issue publicly.
'It shows a gross lack of sensitivity, and a gross lack of judgement.
While no firm decision has yet been reached about the Carpenter government proposal for the theatre to be named after The Dark Knight star, Mr Barnett said all the speculation was hurtful to Ledger's relatives.
'I have spoken to Heath's father, Kim Ledger … and I guess all I would say is when this is debated this is very upsetting for Heath Ledger's family and parents,' Barnett said on 96FM
'Kim and I had a long discussion about it, and I would hope that the family would agree to commemorate Heath in some way
'For the simple reason because he was so well known and so popular his legacy would provide an encouragement for people to go into the theatre and into the arts.
'But the family has had enough of public debate about their son.'
Wyatt said he believed Barnett had reacted before thinking of the broader consequences.
'I dare say there were some people who did not support naming the theatre after the late Heath Ledger, and he has reacted without thinking through the broader consequences, and the likely impact on our reputation on us internationally.'
Former Labor premier Alan Carpenter stood beside Heath's father Kim at the construction site in July to announce that the 575-seat theatre and 200-seat performance studio would honour the actor's life.
The government was considering naming one of the theatres after the star instead of the entire complex.
But Mr Barnett previously said there was disagreement in the community about what the complex would be named.
But that drew accusations from the state opposition that Mr Ledger had been 'disappointed' at the approach taken by Mr Barnett's government, and labelled it 'unsavoury'.
Ledger died of an accidental overdose of prescription medicine in his New York apartment in January this year after a short but successful career in Hollywood.
Mr Barnett today said the government was still to finalise its decision on the naming of the theatre.
'A decision has not been finally made on that, there has been differing opinions particularly in the arts community about it,' Mr Barnett said.
This story was found at:
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/barnett-accused-of-causing-ledgers-more-grief-20081104-5hdw.html