Unionist's 9/11 comments stupid and wrong

Samantha Donovan and staff - ... "Well, I believe that the official story is a conspiracy theory that doesn't stand up to scientific scrutiny," Mr Bracken said.

"Are you serious? Is this a hoax or are you serious?" Faine said.

"No and I'd love to debate you publicly Jon if you think it's ridiculous," Mr Bracken said.

"There's nothing to debate," Faine replied.

"I challenge you to a public debate," Mr Bracken then said.

"There's nothing to debate," Faine again responded.

"Well, the fact is that aviation fuel doesn't get hot enough to melt steel," Mr Bracken said.

Faine pressed Mr Bracken on which "nutter theory" he subscribes to.

"In my mind the buildings were imploded," Mr Bracken said.

"I think it reflects very poorly on your members, Kevin, that you have views that are so ridiculous, so extreme and so unacceptable and yet you hold office in some of our unions in Victoria," Faine said.

"If it's so ridiculous Jon I challenge you to debate me on it," Mr Bracken said.

"The trouble is, mate, blokes like you are keeping most of the people in the dark."

ictorian Trades Hall Council secretary Brian Boyd rang the show shortly afterwards to control the damage.

"I totally disagree with this conspiracy theory, but look can I tell you, putting that one aside, 99 per cent of the time Kevin's a very good Trades Hall official in terms of the president because we look after a lot of issues," he said.

Mr Boyd says he does not doubt Mr Bracken's judgement and credibility.

"This is his personal view on this particular issue," he said.

"He's welcome to them but he's dead wrong."

But Mr Boyd was reluctant to declare Mr Bracken "an embarrassment".

"I am embarrassed in this sense that he used his position as president of Trades Hall in his conversation with you, and that's why I'm calling to correct the record," he said.

Some listeners had sympathy for Mr Bracken's view.

"I think if you've seen the videos of [one tower] - nothing hit it and it fell down. I mean, what's the story there?" one caller said.

"The investigation was a joke and most thinking people agree," another caller said. ...

via Unionist's 9/11 comments stupid and wrong: Gillard - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).