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Thursday May 17, 2012

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Matt Newton hits back

Posted by: 3AW Radio | 11 August, 2011 - 8:54 AM
Matthew Newton

PLAYING: Pete Ford on Matthew Newton's reaction to the News Limited article

Matthew Newton Statement:

I am writing this in response to the so called ‘profile piece’ on me by Andrew Rule that appeared in various News Limited publications on the weekend of the 6th and 7th of August 2011. The amount of conjecture, presumption and spurious information contained in this article is utterly mind boggling.

As I wish to be brief, and not give this article undue attention, I am not going to single out, one by one, all of the glaring gaps in its logic, tone, and over confident conclusions.

The opening words about certain people ‘deciding’ that I suffered from mental illness are absolutely inexcusable.

The only people who ‘decided’ I was mentally ill were several mental health specialists and I can assure you it wasn’t a swift diagnosis.

A disease of the mind is one that is designed to convince the afflicted that they don’t have one. Mental illness is an extremely serious issue in this country and around the world so to treat it with disgusting glibness is unforgivable. I urge anyone who feels even the slightest pang of doubt about their own mental stability or mood changes to seek help or at least talk to someone about it. Don’t be put off by the ignorant and the judgmental.

This ‘journalist’ writes as though he is literally inside my head and has been virtually since the day I was born; basing his arguments on ‘anonymous’ sources from various stages of my life. I don’t give any value to the words of someone who does not have the conviction or honesty to put their name to their own words. I believe the only time someone is justified in saying something and not have their name stand beside that statement is when their life or the lives of the people close to them could potentially be put in danger by doing so. But we are not living in Berlin before The Wall came down and I am a private citizen with no power to harm or effect their livelihood.

If my assumption is correct about the anonymous source from my high school days, which I think it is, then it is no surprise that he may feel dissatisfied by his own life and unfulfilled dreams, given his intellectual and emotional issues. Also, I am fairly certain this individual had, for him, a pretty big secret he was hiding from his parents and friends which may also account for a substantial amount of bitterness and isolation. I hope he has come to terms with his inner torment and is living a life true to his undeniable and irreversible nature. And I wish him luck.

Every one of these anonymous statements seems very convenient. They suit the ‘journalist’ and his easily digestible, clichéd point of view about me too neatly. Nothing is ever that simple. Then again we must remember that this is a man who wrote simplistic faulted accounts of some of the most atrocious and complex crimes in our country’s history, so the shoe of generalisation most definitely fits. I’m sure the freelance pay cheque didn’t hurt either. I also know that he has paid a heavy price for his untrue portrayal of the lives of other people he has hurt in his publications.

Finally the unprovoked attack on my family, yet again all from anonymous sources, is cowardly and mean spirited, pathetic and graceless. I guess the need for informed reporting and factually based investigation really has disappeared, at least from the newspapers that published this creative piece of tabloid trash.

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Blog comments Your Say

  • Tough guy who can hit a chick... The following is so good, it deserves repeating:

    If he is mentally ill why is it only women in his life he targets?

    He's not sick. He is a little man (in every sense of the word) with delusions of Hollywood grandeur being frustratingly held back by a steep lack of skill and D grade Aussie celebrity status.

    I'm sick of losers like this playing the mental health card when they're in trouble.

    May we never have to see his face on television again!

    Sam Monday 15 August, 2011 - 10:32 AM

    The Contrarian Friday 18 November, 2011 - 9:25 PM

  • What infuriates me is his lawyer used mental illness as a defense against hitting women. Let me tell youpeople amphetamine use affects mental health. It is disgusting his lawyer used such an illness as a defense.No sympathy,now his is slowly feeding Matthew Newton to the public via the media. I would have more respect if he came and and said he hAD A susstance abuse problem, than to hide behind a mental illness. Amphetamines, alcohol and other drugs, depression is a consequence of using substances

    vlas Tuesday 23 August, 2011 - 8:08 PM

  • mental illness is no excuse for bashing women ,,wake up you matt believers

    mark Wednesday 17 August, 2011 - 4:22 PM

  • If he is mentally ill why is it only women in his life he targets?

    He's not sick. He is a little man (in every sense of the word) with delusions of Hollywood grandeur being frustratingly held back by a steep lack of skill and D grade Aussie celebrity status.

    I'm sick of losers like this playing the mental health card when they're in trouble.

    May we never have to see his face on television again!

    Sam Monday 15 August, 2011 - 10:32 AM

  • Yes Kim completely agree! How can he ask for understandin on the one hand, then so blatantly attack someone (who he is only assuming, by the way, is the source) who clearly has issues of his own. Grow up is all I can say.

    George Friday 12 August, 2011 - 4:30 PM

  • Well said Mat
    just leave the guy alone
    he is sick
    if you dont have a metal illness you wouldnt no how it feels how is takes over your life,
    get off his back
    to all those that helped with the pice in the paper why didnt you put your name to it
    if his dad wasnt Bert
    no one would care
    just get of his back or try living a month or 2 in his shoes

    if only Thursday 11 August, 2011 - 4:06 PM

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