Raymond Hoser

Infobox Person
name = Raymond Hoser


birth_name = Raymond Terrence Hoser
birth_date = 1962
birth_place = United Kingdom
death_date =
death_place =

Raymond Terrence Hoser (Born: 1962 U.K.) is an Australian herpetologist and author. He writes about reptiles, but has also written about official corruption in Australia sine 1976. He has been called "One of Australia's most energetic and courageous whistleblowers" by Brian Martin, a former president of Whistleblowers Australia. [Brian Martin, " [http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/bmartin/dissent/documents/Martin_def.html Defamation and the Australian media: a case study] ", October 1997, Accessed October 12, 2008]

Blowing the Whistle on Corruption

The corruption interest came up when he found apparent problems in the wildlife services in New South Wales. This was first covered in his book "Smuggled" where he alleges that officials were involved in the illegal wildlife trade. Subsequently, attempts were made to suppress distribution of the book through National Parks and Wildlife Service allegations to booksellers that the book was defamatory. [Green Left Weekly " [http://www.greenleft.org.au/1993/105/5955 Wildlife smuggling book defeats 'ban'] ", 30 June 1993. Accessed October 12, 2008] [H. Clare Callow, " [http://www.rationalist.com.au/archive/55/p29-33.pdf Investigating Corruption - The Strange Case of Raymond Hoser] " Australian Rationalist No 55. Accessed October 12, 2008]

He moved to Victoria in 1985 and allegedly came across further corruption with Vicroads when working as a taxi driver. His experiences here were first covered in his book "The Hoser Files".

candalising the Court

In 2001 the Victorian Supreme Court used a rarely used offence of "scandalising the court" to fine Hoser $5000 after he published names of two county court judges and two magistrates in a book entitled "Victoria Police Corruption" with allegations of bias and improper conduct. The offence was previously used against union leader Norm Gallagher. [ The National Interest, " [http://www.abc.net.au/rn/nationalinterest/stories/2001/441523.htm Scandalous behaviour; Police under pressure; Starbucks Australia] ", ABC Radio National, 16 December 2001, Accessed October 12, 2008] [Press Gazette, " [http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=28394&sectioncode=1 Scandalising the Court] ", 10 October 2003. Accessed October 12, 2008]

In 2003 Hoser was found guilty of a second contempt charge which was originally dismissed. The charge related to unfounded bribery allegations against a third judge. [ABC News Online, " [http://www.abc.net.au/news/australia/vic/200312/s1010436.htm Author losses contempt of court appeal] ", December 15, 2003, Accessed October 12, 2008]

Taxonomic contributions

Hoser has also contributed to the taxonomy of Australian snakes, giving descriptions for new species and genera, and suggesting revisions to current arrangements. Some nominations have not been accepted, being regarded as redundant or invalid by workers in the field. [Citeweb|url=http://biology.bangor.ac.uk/~bss166/FWit/LittSerp.pdf|title=Taxonomic contributions in the "amateur" literature: comments on recent descriptions of new genera and species by Raymond Hoser. |author= Wüster, W., B. Bush, J.S. Keogh, M. O'Shea & R. Shine |date=2001|work= Litteratura Serpentium 21: 67-79, 86-91] [Citeweb|url=http://biology.bangor.ac.uk/%7Ebss166/Publications/2004_OzElapids_MPE.pdf |title =Snakes across the Strait: Trans-Torresian phylogeographic relationships in three genera of Australasian snakes (Serpentes: Elapidae: Acanthophis, Oxyuranus and Pseudechis). |author= Wüster, W., A.J. Dumbrell, C. Hay, C.E. Pook, D.J. Williams & B.G. Fry |date=2004|work= Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 34(1): 1-14.|quote= superceding; Wüster, W., et al [http://biology.bangor.ac.uk/~bss166/FWit/Pseudechis.htm Phylogeny and classification of Australo-Papuan black snakes and mulga snakes: comments on genus Pailsus Hoser] (1998) ]

Hoser's papers have been published and discussed in scientific journals in Australia and elsewhere.cite journal|author=Kuch, Ulrich; Keogh, J. Scott; Weigel, John; Smith, Laurie A.; Mebs, Dietrich|date=03/2005|title=Phylogeography of Australia's king brown snake (Pseudechis australis) reveals Pliocene divergence and Pleistocene dispersal of a top predator|journal=Naturwissenschaften |volume=92|issue=3|pages=pp.121-127|url=http://www.anu.edu.au/BoZo/Scott/PDF%20Files/39.2005.KuchEtAl.Nat%20copy.pdf] He is the author of the valid names and descriptions for "Pseudechis pailsei" and "Acanthophis wellsi", snakes in the Elapidae family. [ITIS|taxon=Pseudechis pailsei|ID=700728|year=1998] [ITIS|taxon=Acanthophis wellsi|ID=700721|year=1998]

nakebusters

Raymond Hoser runs his own business called "Snakebusters" in Melbourne, providing reptiles for children's birthday parties and also catching and moving snakes in urban areas. [Nick Higginbottom, " [http://www.news.com.au/mercury/story/0,22884,21217737-922,00.html Summer of snakes keeps city's experts busy] ", Hobart Mercury, February 13, 2007. Accessed October 12, 2008] [" [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/09/20/1095651244778.html Toeing the party line] ", The Age, September 21, 2004. Accessed October 12, 2008] [Marika Dobbin, " [http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/python-takes-citylink-high-road/2008/04/09/1207420457359.html Escaped python ends up in Burnley Tunnel] ", The Age, April 9, 2008. Accessed October 12, 2008]

He runs the website Smuggled.com which is a mixture of information about reptiles and official corruption.

Venomoids

Hoser is a prominent figure in the controversy over "venomoid" snakes, which have had their venom glands removed for claimed safety concerns, both in performing the operation on animals and in promoting the procedure generallyR. Hoser " [http://www.smuggled.com/VenArt1.htm Surgical Removal of Venom Glands in Australian Elapid Snakes. The creation of venomoids.] " Accessed Oct. 11th 2008.] . However, this procedure is considered animal cruelty by a wide variety of experts in the field, and over 3000 signatures were garnered in a petition for the courts to investigate Hoser's venomoid production with regards to violating laws on animal cruelty, particularly in terms of the lack of analgesia [http://www.snakegetters.com/demo/vet/venomoid-faq.html Venomoid FAQ] on snakegetters.com. Accessed Oct 11th 2008.] [http://www.aussiereptileclassifieds.com/phpPETITION/ Venomoid Petition] faunaclassifieds.com website. Accessed Oct. 11th 2008.] . Many prominent herpetologists, reptile veterinarians, and expert venomous reptile keepers sponsored this petition [Forum Discussion, " [http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84522 Illegal Venomoid Petition] ", faunaclassifieds.com Accessed Oct. 11th 2008.] . To date, however, authorities have not responded, in spite of Hoser's open admission to use of surgical methods considered inhumane.

Works

This is an incomplete list of works by Raymond Hoser.;Papers
*1998. A new snake from Queensland, Australia (Serpentes: Elapidae). Monitor 10, 5–9.
*2000. A new species of snake (Serpentes: Elapidae) from Irian Jaya. "Litt. Serpentium" 20, 178–186.
*Hoser R (2001) A current assessment of the status of the snakes of the genera Cannia and Pailsus, including descriptions of three new subspecies from the Northern Territory and Western Australia, Australia. J Herpetol Soc Queensl 2001:26–60
* 2002. An overview of the taipans, genus ("Oxyuranus") (Serpentes: Elapidae), including the description of a new subspecies. "Crocodilian" - J. Vic. Assoc. Amat. Herpetol. 3, 43–50.;Books [cite web|url=http://nla.gov.au/anbd.bib-an6030759|title=Author: Hoser, Raymond T. (Raymond Terrence), 1962-|work=Australian Library Collections|publisher=National Library of Australia|accessdate=2008-10-11]
* Australian reptiles & frogs, (238pp) Pierson & Co., 1989 ISBN 0947068082
* Endangered animals of Australia, Pierson & Co., 1991 ISBN 0947068155
* Smuggled : the underground trade in Australia's wildlife. Apollo Books, 1993. ISBN 094706818X
* The Hoser Files — The Fight Against Entrenched Official Corruption. (332 pp.) Kotabi, 1995. ISBN 0646230875
* Smuggled-2: Wildlife Trafficking, Crime and Corruption in Australia. Kotabi, 1996. ISBN 0958676909
* Victorian Police Corruption. (736 pp.) Kotabi, 1999. ISBN 0958676968
* Victorian Police Corruption 2. (800 pp.) Kotabi, 2000. ISBN 0958676976
* Taxi. Kotabi, 2000. ISBN 0958676984 (V. 1) ISBN 0958676992 (V. 2)

References

External links

* [http://www.smuggled.com/ Smuggled.com] - by Raymond Hoser.