An Aboriginal woman - filmed in compromising circumstances in Boulia by PhD candidate Michael Noonan - claims she never signed a consent form and has suffered anxiety for the past 18 months not knowing where the filmed material might appear (as of August 2007 this material was posted on the internet by the Courier Mail newspaper on its website).
Following the woman's request, Aboriginal Elder, Ted Watson speaks out on her behalf.
The Aboriginal woman's portrayal as a negative racial stereotype has outraged many people in the Australian Indigenous Community including some prominent figures who will soon be voicing their concerns on Youtube.
Meanwhile Peter Coaldrake, the Vice Chancellor of QUT, has vigorously defended all ethical aspects of the PhD project which was originally entitled "Laughing at the Disabled: Creating Comedy which Confronts, Offends and Entertains."
Earlier in 2007, Coaldrake suspended two senior lecturers: Dr. Gary Maclennan and Dr. John Hookham for publicly voicing their concern about possible violation of ethical protocols in the thesis film which forms part of Noonan's PhD research.
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