Ivens François "Toon" Buffett (died 19 July 2004) was a political figure from the

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Au ...

External Territory of

Norfolk Island Norfolk Island (, ; Norfuk: ''Norf'k Ailen'') is an external territory of Australia located in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and New Caledonia, directly east of Australia's Evans Head and about from Lord Howe Island. Together with ...

. He was the first sitting minister of an Australian government to be assassinated. Before his death, Buffett was serving as Lands Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Norfolk Island. He had previously served one term as Chief Executive.

Murder

On 19 July 2004, Buffett was shot dead in his office with his own Lee-Enfield .303 rifle. Buffett's 25-year-old son, Leith, was charged with the murder of his father. Legal proceedings then found that Leith was incompetent to stand trial, because of severe mental illness. Leith has been described as believing that his father was "The Evil Prophet". Due to the inadequacy of jail cells and hospice facilities on the island, Leith Buffett was transferred to

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

, first to Long Bay Prison's hospital, a matter which required an amendment to the Crimes Act 1999 in

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

. Police stressed that the Buffett case was unrelated to the 2002 death of

Janelle Patton Janelle Patton was a 29-year-old Sydney woman who was murdered on Norfolk Island on 31 March 2002. The case made national headlines in Australia and New Zealand, as she was the first person to be murdered on Norfolk Island since 1893. Backgrou ...

who, until Buffett's death, had been the only person in the island's recent history to be murdered there.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buffett, Ivens Year of birth missing 2004 deaths 2004 in Norfolk Island Members of the Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly People murdered in Norfolk Island Deaths by firearm in Norfolk Island Australian murder victims Patricides