Stan film about Port Arthur massacre could be dangerous says a mass shootings expert

It comes after media reports about a movie being made to explore the lead up to the 1996 event and what lead the shooter to commit the horrible act.

Curtin University journalism lecturer and ABC presenter Glynn Greensmith, who is an expert in media coverage of mass shootings, said regardless of how the movie was made it could be dangerous.

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He said Australia's coverage of the Port Arthur massacre had contributed to the lack of other similar events since.

"The coverage of these crimes really, really, really matters. Something that happened after Port Arthur was about more than guns," Mr Greensmith said.

"It was that we did not give him what he sought. If he sought anti-hero status, if he sort infamy, then Australia took that away from him and said no f--- you and that mattered."

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Mr Greensmith said he did not want a movie to bring the shooter any form of notoriety.

"It doesn't even need to be glorified to be dangerous. Making his name and his face as visible as a movie would is dangerous and can be dangerous. I want him to remain reviled, pathetic and forgotten," he said.

"I don't want his name used in this article, I don't want his name used in your newspaper, I don't want his name used in conversation. Not just because he makes me sick because it matters. Because we can look at the lack of mass shootings in this country and say that that has had an impact.

"The way we have treated and viewed him has had an impact on that. No matter how he is portrayed, angel or demon, human or monster I just don't want it out there."

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The movie, which according to media reports, will not name the shooter or depict the massacre has drawn the ire of many Tasmanians.

In Question Time in Tasmania's House of Assembly on Tuesday Premier Peter Gutwein said the production had hit a "raw nerve" in the state.

"I feel highly uncomfortable about this," he said. "I think many Tasmanians will."

"However, whilst being uncomfortable with it, this is a production that is not being shot in Tasmania. We have very few if any options in terms of being able to limit this production taking place.

"It is a difficult circumstance for many in our community. I would hope that the filmmakers would be sensitive in the way that they craft this particular production."

Mr Gutwein said it would be wrong to attempt to "censor" the production.

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