Today I found this blog post by Chris Dawson, author of several interesting books on local history and member of the Boggo Road Gaol Historical Society:
http://boggoroad.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/brisbane-ghosts-busted.html
In the post Chris argues against the claims being made by a local business that Brisbane is the "2nd most haunted city in the world." According to their website this status is established by none other than National Geographic who allegedly voted on the matter. Chris Dawson was unable to find the poll and when National Geographic was contacted they informed him that their records showed no such information.
Despite being asked to substantiate the tagline no evidence has been offered by the business. So as far as anyone can tell the evidence that their claim is based on doesn't exist. If that's so then we may be dealing with a case of misleading advertising. In my opinion, if they're asking the public to take claims of paranormal activity at face value and believe their tour guides can pass for vampires (at least they don't sparkle...) and dead governors then they may well think people are gullible enough to fall for such assertions.
Personally I see this as one of the outcomes of trying to sell history. When business and the investigation of the past mix it often results in the prerogatives of the former outweighing the ethics of the latter.
I would also like to know why the proprietor of the business in question constantly refers to himself as a historian. Nowhere have I been able to find evidence that he possesses the requisite qualifications (i.e. a bachelor degree or higher in history).
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