Anger as hostel managers pardoned

THE relatives of backpackers who died in an arson attack at an Australian hostel have hit out at the authorities for failing to prosecute its managers.

Julie O’Keefe, 24, from Limerick, died along with six Britons, four Australians, two Dutch, one Japanese and one South Korean when a fire tore through the overcrowded Palace Backpackers Hostel in Childers, Queensland State, on June 23, 2000.

Itinerant fruit picker Robert Paul Long was sentenced to life in prison in March 2002.

Ken Morris, of Cefn Coed, south Wales, lost daughter Natalie, 28, in the devastating blaze six years ago.

Yesterday he warned all youngsters travelling to Australia to beware of the potentially fatal lack of standards down under.

He still regarded Australia as a ‘marvellous’ country, but felt the authorities had badly let them down.

His comments came after an Australian coroner ruled out bringing charges against two men who ran the Palace Backpackers Hostel.

The uncle of Adam Rowland, 19, of East Sussex, who also died, condemned the decision as ‘grossly negligent.’

Eleven of the victims’ families filed civil proceedings against the Queensland State Government, local authorities and the hostel operators.

As a result Queensland State coroner, Michael Barnes, reopened an inquiry this week into whether the hostel’s managers should be charged for allegedly failing to provide adequate emergency escape routes from the hostel.