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Learn about horrendous crimes, unscrupulous criminals, and corrupt politicians and lawyers who control the legal profession in Australia. Shameful, hideous, and treacherous are just a few words that describe these lawbreakers. 

You can access my book 'Absent Justice' here  Order Now—it's FreeIt presents a compelling narrative that addresses critical societal issues related to justice and equity within Australia's arbitration and mediation processes. If you see the value in the research and evidence behind this important work, consider supporting  Transparency International Australia! Your donation will help raise awareness about the injustices that impact our democracy. 

Until the late 1990s, the Australian government owned the country's telecommunications network and the communications carrier, Telecom (now privatised and known as Telstra). This monopoly led to a catastrophic decline in service quality, as the network fell into disrepair. Instead of addressing the unacceptable state of our telephone services as part of the government-endorsed arbitration process—an inherently uneven fight that none of us could win—these issues remained unresolved. It was a battle that cost claimants hundreds of thousands of dollars, yet the crimes committed against us went unacknowledged. Our integrity was viciously attacked, our livelihoods destroyed, and we lost millions, all while our mental health deteriorated. Shockingly, those who orchestrated this corruption continue to wield power today, reinforcing a façade that hides the truth. Our story remains actively suppressed.

During the COT arbitrations, a murky underbelly of corruption within government and political structures was ruthlessly exposed, revealing a malevolent abuse of public power for insidious personal gain. This pervasive corruption, festering like a hidden disease, encompassed a sinister array of activities—bribery, extortion, embezzlement, fraud, and conflicts of interest—that conspired to erode public trust and undermine democratic institutions, threatening the very fabric of Australia and its Western allies.

In the shadowy corridors of power, government corruption festers. Deceptive reporting and a barrage of false information have cloaked the disturbing truths behind the COT cases, allowing them to slip into oblivion. The government-owned Telstra Corporation, a puppet master within this sinister web, has engaged in blatant evidence tampering during arbitration, effectively silencing those who dare to seek justice. Threats hung in the air like a dark cloud, wielded against the vulnerable, as the arbitrator turned a blind eye, complicit in a scheme that denies claimants their rightful day in court. The facade of fairness crumbled, revealing a landscape riddled with betrayal and malice, where truth was sacrificed on the altar of power.

 

Absent Justice - Renowned Australian Author

 

A more unsettling revelation is that the two primary entities under investigation during the COT arbitrations were not only Telstra, one of Australia's largest telecommunications companies, but also Ericsson, a multinational telecommunications giant notorious for its subpar equipment, which has been rejected by numerous countries worldwide. In a brazen act of deception, Telstra categorically denied to the arbitrator that any such significant issues existed, attempting to shield itself from accountability.

Adding to this atmosphere of corruption, unscrupulous government bureaucrats conspired to stifle the critical investigation into Ericsson, effectively protecting the company from scrutiny. They permitted the arbitration consultant, Lane Telecommunications, to meticulously gather a vast trove of fault data from the numerous COT cases against Ericsson. Then, through a duplicitous manoeuvre shrouded in secrecy, they facilitated the acquisition of Lane by Ericsson in a single, shadowy transaction that raised serious ethical questions.
 
What are the chilling consequences of these actions? All the crucial arbitration information amassed by Lane, obtained under the guise of a confidentiality agreement designed to protect sensitive data, has now fallen into the hands of Ericsson. This outcome is particularly nefarious, as Ericsson never signed the same confidentiality agreement that the COT was obligated to adhere to. This agreement continues to be weaponised, serving to obscure the insidious and unlawful tactics employed during our COT arbitrations, leaving those affected to grapple with the ramifications of this deeply flawed process.It is essential to introduce here the bribery and corruption issues the US Department of Justice raised against Ericsson on 19 December 2019:

"One of Telstra's key partners in the building out of their 5G network in Australia is set to fork out over $1.4 billion after the US Department of Justice accused them of bribery and corruption on a massive scale and over a long period of time."

"Sweden's telecoms giant Ericsson has agreed to pay more than $1.4 billion following an extensive investigation which saw the Telstra-linked Company 'admitting to a years-long campaign of corruption in five countries to solidify its grip on telecommunications business." (https://www.channelnews.com.au/key-telstra-5g-partner-admits-to-bribery-corruption/)

We must use the Ericsson link above as part of my ongoing attempt to have the Australian government impartially investigate my claims against Telstra and whether Ericsson should have been allowed to purchase Lane Telecommunications Pty Ltd during the period Lane was the official appointed arbitration technical consultant assigned to the COT arbitrator who himself had been assigned to value the COT cases claims against Telstra.

Australia must be the only country in the Western world that allows a witness (Lane Telecommunications was a witness to what the COT claimants and arbitrator had uncovered against Ericsson and their faulty installed telephone equipment during the COT arbitrations) to be purchased by the very same company under investigation by the arbitrator and Australian government refer Senate Evidence File No/61).

All of the main events highlighted on this website are backed by original documents (confirmation data) linked within the text. By clicking these links, you will open a PDF of the relevant exhibits. This method allows you to follow the various file numbers discussed throughout our pages – see the menu bar above – enabling you to verify our claims. Without these documents, many would struggle to comprehend the extent of suffering endured by Casualty of Telstra (COT) claimants under these unjust circumstances. We’ve added mini-stories to contextualise these exhibits, allowing readers to grasp the true significance of what occurred.

How can an Australian company like Lane Telecommunications be sold during a government-sanctioned arbitration process to a major Swedish telecommunications conglomerate, Ericsson, which is simultaneously under investigation for questionable practices? Is it conceivable that this situation represents an alarming instance of collusion and corruption at the highest levels?

Australia appears to be an anomaly among Western nations in allowing a witness—Lane Telecommunications Pty Ltd—to observe critical evidence presented by the COT claimants and the arbitrator. This evidence gathers significant weight in light of Ericsson's acquisition, raising serious questions about the integrity of the process, especially as the company is under formal investigation.

The acquisition effectively silenced Lane, with the financial transaction quickly completed and the money transferred into their accounts. In a disturbing pattern of political negligence, career politicians have once again turned a blind eye to what many now recognise as a conspiracy, ignoring the deeply unethical implications of these actions. Their singular aim seems clear: to ensure that the COT Cases are "Stopped at all costs" from substantiating their arbitration claims (as documented on pages 36 to 39, Senate - Parliament of Australia).

The Australian government owes its citizens and stakeholders a comprehensive response to several critical questions that need clarity:

1. How long was Lane Telecommunications engaged in discussions or negotiations with Ericsson, the primary telecommunications equipment supplier for Telstra, before the agreement to sell was finalised?

2. Is there a significant connection between Lane's apparent neglect of my Ericsson AXE claim documents and the acquisition of Lane by Ericsson during the ongoing COT arbitration? This raises concerns about the motivations behind the purchase and the potential impact on the integrity of the arbitration proceedings.

3. What is the rationale behind the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)—the government's communications media regulator—denying me access to the crucial Ericsson AXE documentation that I rightfully requested during my two Government Administrative Appeal Tribunal hearings in 2008 and 2011? (For more on this, (see Chapter 9 - The ninth remedy pursued and Chapter 12 - The twelfth remedy pursued?)

These questions not only demand a thorough investigation but also insist on transparency and accountability in a process that fundamentally challenges ethical governance and corporate responsibility. The ramifications of these circumstances extend beyond the immediate parties involved, impacting public trust and confidence in both government oversight and corporate practices in Australia.

 

Absent Justice - My Story

“Our local technicians believe that Mr Smith is correct in raising complaints about incoming callers to his number receiving a Recorded Voice Announcement saying that the number is disconnected.

“They believe that it is a problem that is occurring in increasing numbers as more and more customers are connected to AXE.” (See False Witness Statement File No 3-A)

To further support my claims that Telstra already knew how severe the Ericsson Portland AXE telephone faults were, can best be viewed by reading Folios C04006C04007  and C04008, headed TELECOM SECRET (see Front Page Part Two 2-B), which state:

“Legal position – Mr Smith’s service problems were network related and spanned a period of 3-4 years. Hence Telecom’s position of legal liability was covered by a number of different acts and regulations. … In my opinion Alan Smith’s case was not a good one to test Section 8 for any previous immunities – given his evidence and claims. I do not believe it would be in Telecom’s interest to have this case go to court.

“Overall, Mr Smith’s telephone service had suffered from a poor grade of network performance over a period of several years; with some difficulty to detect exchange problems in the last 8 months.”

Telstra internal (Freedom of Information - FOI folio C04094) from Greg Newbold to numerous Telstra executives and discussing COT cases latest”, states:-

“Don, thank you for your swift and eloquent reply.  I disagree with raising the issue of the courts.  That carries an implied threat not only to COT cases but to all customers that they’ll end up as lawyer fodder.  Certainly that can be a message to give face to face with customers and to hold in reserve if the complaints remain vexacious .” GS File 75 Exhibit 1 to 88

The information provided in the image below reveals a troubling pattern of deceptive business practices by Ericsson, indicating that these issues were not merely isolated incidents. When the Australian Government endorsed the COT Cases arbitration, it portrayed the process as a legitimate pathway to justice for those involved. However, my website, absentjustice.com, clearly illustrates that this assertion was far from the truth, highlighting significant discrepancies and injustices. Given this context, it is crucial for the current Labor government in 2025 to undertake a thorough investigation into my claims. They must deliver a transparent ruling that determines whether my allegations are baseless or hold merit, as justice for impacted parties hangs in the balance.

 

The Ericsson List - Absent Justice

 

The eleventh remedy pursued

The COT arbitration and mediation processes became a dark labyrinth, where the economic lifeblood of the Telstra Corporation was stifled before its privatisation. Once it slipped from public hands, the government, like a predator sensing weakness, turned its focus to the rampant corruption lurking within its own ranks. This treachery was marked by the actions of Telstra and the appointed officials, who schemed to eliminate the stench of corruption as quickly as possible, desperate to conceal their wrongdoing from the ever-watchful eyes of the U.S. Securities Commission → Chapter 6 - US Securities Exchange - pink herring. They anxiously misused public office and resources for their own nefarious agendas, with bribery serving as their weapon of choice—coercing decisions and actions in the dark shadows of arbitration and mediation.

In a vile twist of fate, small business owners from the COT group uncovered an unsettling web of extortion. Those controlling the arbitration and mediation processes mercilessly demanded favours and payoffs in exchange for merely doing their jobs, betraying the public trust that was supposed to guide their actions. The false reassurances given to senators and the Canberra media about prioritising these issues only deepened the treachery, illustrating the depths of deception that permeated the system (Refer to Senate Evidence File No 31 and Senate Evidence File No 31).

As the investigation unfolded, the grotesque realities of embezzlement, theft, and the insidious misappropriation of public funds and government assets came to light. The environment was soaked in fraud and deceit, where unethical practices flourished unchecked, allowing the architects of this corruption to reap unfair advantages over the vulnerable COT cases (Refer to pages 5168 and 5169 at points 26, 27, 2829, 30, and 31 SENATE official Hansard – Parliament of Australia).

Conflicts of interest loomed large and malevolent, as public officials, blinded by their own greed and self-interest, turned a blind eye to the unfolding corruption within the COT cases. They willingly sacrificed the integrity of Australia’s once-respected democratic system of arbitration and mediation, all for the promise of personal gain.

In a chilling display of cronyism and nepotism, these government-endorsed processes turned into a breeding ground for betrayal, where the powerful favoured their friends and allies without hesitation. One particularly sinister episode involved the principal arbitrator and mediator, whose close associates exploited the good name of his unsuspecting wife to shield him from an investigation into the glaring corruption festering around the COT cases—yet another layer of deceit meant to protect their own.

The insidious effects of this betrayal penetrate deep into the very marrow of the Australian arbitration and mediation process, tainting its essence and eroding its integrity. As detailed in the section titled "The eleventh remedy pursued  Institute of Arbitration Mediation Australia (IAMA)," I was coerced into complying with their directive to extend my case from July to November 2009, all while pouring over $20,000 into secretarial fees to unearth the damning evidence of corruption lurking beneath the surface. Despite the overwhelming weight of this evidence, the IAMA has chillingly chosen to remain silent, willfully ignoring the truth and obstructing my appointed lawyer's access to the critical documentation I provided at their behest. This disturbing refusal raises an alarming question: What dark secrets is the IAMA desperately trying to conceal? What ulterior motives drive them to hide the evidence that could shatter their carefully crafted facade? The layers of deceit are thick, and the stakes are high—what else lies hidden in the shadows of this corruption?

How do you publish a harrowing account of treachery and deceit that has marred various Australian Government-endorsed Arbitrations, all while being denied the exhibits that bear witness to this corruption? How does the author substantiate claims that government public servants shamelessly fed privileged information to the Australian Government-owned telecommunications carrier—an entity that stands as a defendant—yet simultaneously concealed crucial documentation from their own fellow citizens, the claimants? 

It’s a tale so entrenched in villainy that even the author finds themselves questioning the very authenticity of their narrative, only to be jolted back to reality by their meticulously kept records. How can one expose the insidious collusion between an arbitrator, appointed government watchdogs, and the defendants? How do you reveal that the defendants—in this case, the Telstra Corporation—engaged in a repugnant scheme where they intercepted and screened confidential communications, storing sensitive material without consent, and then redirected this information to undermine the claimants' position?

The blatant exploitation by Telstra, using this intercepted material to bolster their defence, raises grave concerns about how many other Australian arbitration processes have succumbed to similar heinous acts of electronic eavesdropping. This abhorrent hacking—was it merely a dark chapter of the past, or does it continue to poison legitimate Australian arbitrations today? On 7 January 1999, the arbitration claimants submitted an alarming report to the Australian Government, confirming that confidential documents had been illicitly screened before being delivered to Parliament House in Canberra. Will that damning report ever be laid bare for the Australian public to see? 

The fax imprint across the top of this letter dated 12 May 1995 (Open Letter File No 55-A) is the same as the fax imprint described in the 7 January 1999 Scandrett & Associates report provided to Senator Ron Boswell (see Open Letter File No/12 and File No/13), confirming faxes were intercepted during the COT arbitrations. One of the two technical consultants attesting to the validity of this January 1999 fax interception report emailed me on 17 December 2014, stating:

“I still stand by my statutory declaration that I was able to identify that the incoming faxes provided to me for review had at some stage been received by a secondary fax machine and then retransmitted, this was done by identifying the dual time stamps on the faxes provided.” (Front Page Part One File No/14)

I've taken the bold step to release the full report on my website, absentjustice.com, and in my new book, ABSENT JUSTICE—a manifesto against this unprincipled conduct.

It is imperative to acknowledge the chilling reality that "Absent Justice" stands ominously supported by over 1,300 exhibits—accessible on this site yet shrouded in the depths of a labyrinthine web of evidence files tied to this dark narrative. My initial arbitration claim, submitted back in 1994, mysteriously vanished into thin air, never reaching the arbitrator’s hands. Despite presenting irrefutable proof of this negligence, both the arbitrator and the administrator of the arbitration system brazenly dismissed my submission papers. This deliberate obstruction obliterated my hope of demonstrating that the registered phone complaints were not mere historical grievances, but ongoing crises that continued to jeopardise my telephone-dependent business.

On April 30, 1995, the arbitrator, in a shadowy partnership with DMR & Lane consultants, received a written warning about the unresolved faults plaguing my phone lines. They explicitly stated that they needed more time to investigate the ramifications of these persistent issues. Yet, Dr. Gordon Hughes, the same arbitrator, made the brazen decision to deny DMR & Lane the extra weeks they required to address my claims properly. His justification? An absurd claim that I had not provided a comprehensive list of complaints, although my two advisors, both former senior detectives from the Queensland police force, had submitted this material at a staggering cost of $56,000 in 1994.

The corruption runs deeper, as I observed the grim fate of at least two other COT cases during their arbitrations, which mirrored my own betrayal. With "Absent Justice," I compiled a damning exhibit of evidence files to shed light on this sinister pattern of deception and malpractice—an undeniable testament to the moral decay that has plagued this system.

 

Absent Justice - Prologue

 

On 27 February 1996, John Pinnock wrote to Laurie James (see point 4 above), attacking my credibility. The TIO deliberately misinformed Mr James that I had telephoned the arbitrator’s wife at 2 am one morning:

“Mr Smith has admitted to me in writing that last year he rang Dr Hughes’ home phone number (apparently in the middle of the night, at approximately 2.00am) and spoke to Dr Hughes’ wife, impersonating a member of the Resource Unit.” (File 209 - AS-CAV Exhibit 181 to 233)

PLEASE NOTE:

If I had indeed written to the TIO, as he suggests in his letter to Laurie James, why did he not produce my letter?

It is bad enough to have to live with the knowledge that the Arbitration Resource Unit and the Arbitrator failed to investigate my complaints of the multiple, ongoing telephone problems that continued to haunt my struggling business throughout my arbitration process. Still, the situation becomes even worse when you consider what was to come when John Pinnock (the new administrator of the process), who also held the role of TIO, advised Australian politicians that all of the problems I was still complaining about had been fixed during the arbitration, even though Mr Pinnock (the new TIO) were still receiving correspondence from Telstra, thirty-three months after my arbitration had ended, claiming that it ‘appeared’ as though the problems had continued to occur after the so-called ‘end’ of my arbitration.  What this does highlight, however, is a clear indication of how corrupt the whole COT arbitration process was: it had been designed, from the very beginning, to cover up Telstra’s bad workmanship, regardless of the cost, and the cost of that cover-up was the destruction of anyone who was prepared to stand up and raise legitimate complaints, with the Government, concerning Telstra, on any level.

 

 

The Arbitrator 

Absent Justice - Order of Australia

Dr Gordon Hughes, Warwick Smith - Order of Australia

The government's decision to award Dr. Gordon Hughes the Order of Australia raises serious ethical concerns regarding the approval process. It is perplexing that Dr. Hughes' wife was not approached to confirm whether she received a telephone call at 2:00 AM on the fateful morning in question. After Mrs Hughes revealed the timeline, which coincides with my account of events and the time for which Telstra billed me for this call, which lasted for 28 seconds, one must question how the Governor could bestow such an honour upon Dr. Hughes when his wife's statement casts a shadow on his integrity.

A man of true honour would never have allowed me to bear this unjust burden for twenty-eight long years after receiving a copy of Mr. Pinnock's correspondence to the President of the Institute of Arbitrators Australia, Laure James. This correspondence was a blatant attack on my character, and its impact was both calculated and treacherous, preventing any investigation into my legitimate claims against Dr. Hughes. The entire affair reeks of manipulation and deceit, obscuring the truth and allowing a façade of respectability to persist while justice is denied.

Let us re-examine the 27 February 1996 letter from Mr Pinnock and the issue of tampering with evidence, specifically the TF200.  

The marked Telstra FOI documents folio A64535 to A64562 (see Tampering With Evidence File No/5), are clear evidence that Telstra did do two separate TF200 tests on my collected phone two weeks apart. FOI folio A64535 confirms with this handwritten Telstra laboratory file note, dated 26 May 1994, that when wet beer was poured into a TF200 phone, the wet substance dried up within 48 hours. The air vents within the telephone itself allowed for the beer to escape. In other words, how could my TF200, collected on 27 April 1994, have been wet inside the phone on 10 May 1994 when it was tested at Telstra’s laboratories?

Of course, I was happy and felt relieved when this alleged sticky and wet beer substance in my collected TF200 was not there when it was received at Telstra's laboratories. Regardless of this, Telstra's evidence arriving six months after the conclusion of my arbitration, I still thought there might be some honesty in Dr Hughes' makeup. Even though I had not investigated my ongoing telephone problems in his case, I felt he must be able to do something when it was Telstra's laboratory findings that proved their arbitration defence had used fraud to support their defence. My judgment concerning Dr Hughes' integrity was way off target.

 

Absent Justice - A disturbing twist

 

It has been brought to the attention of the undersigned that Telstra, a telecommunications company, tampered with evidence during an arbitration process. The undersigned had previously volunteered for the Cape Bridgewater Country Fire Authority (CFA) for many years before this incident came to light. During the arbitration process, Telstra deliberately misled the arbitrator by providing an incorrect reason for why the undersigned was unable to test their TF200 telephone at their premises during a scheduled meeting on 27 April 1994. Telstra had recorded in their file notes, which were later submitted to the arbitrator, that the undersigned had refused to allow them to test the phones due to feelings of fatigue. However, Telstra failed to mention that the undersigned had informed the fault response unit that they had been fighting an out-of-control fire for 14 hours and that their sore eyes made it impossible to observe the testing.

It is evident from the Tampering With Evidence page that Telstra set out to discredit the undersigned by implying that they were too tired to have their TF200 phone tested and, after the phone was removed, someone from Telstra poured beer into it before it arrived at the Melbourne laboratories. Telstra then alleged that sticky beer was the cause of the phone's ongoing lock-up problems rather than an issue with the Cape Bridgewater network. These actions, along with the threats the undersigned received from Telstra during the arbitration process, demonstrate that their claims should have been investigated years ago. Despite the undersigned carrying out their civic duties as Australian citizens, providing vital evidence to the AFP and fighting out-of-control fires, they were still penalised during the arbitration process.

It is worth noting that the undersigned could not have spilt beer into their telephone, as Telstra had claimed, given that they had been fighting a fire. They would not have been drinking beer while driving the CFA truck or assisting their colleagues. This part of the undersigned's story highlights the unprofessional conduct that COT Cases endured from Telstra as they fought for a reliable phone service. When the undersigned provided the arbitrator and the arbitration Special Counsel with a statutory declaration prepared by Paul Westwood's forensic documents specialist, both refused the undersigned's request to investigate Telstra's report on the grounds of fraud.

Gaslighting 

Wayne Goss, the former Premier of Queensland, disclosed that gaslighting tactics were employed against the COT Cases. 

(See File Ann Garms 104 Document)

Gaslighting - Absent Justice

Psychological manipulation 

As detailed below and throughout this website, there was a concerted effort to prevent the COT Cases from substantiating their claims at all costs. I faced tremendous pressure to withhold crucial technical documents that I had previously submitted to Freehill Hollingdale & Page, the legal representatives for Telstra. They threatened me with retaliation, insisting that unless I first presented my fault complaints in writing to Freehill, Telstra would categorically refuse to investigate my grievances.

When I reluctantly provided those documented complaints to Denise McBurnie, the lawyer assigned to my case at Freehill, I was met with immediate dismissal. Mr. McBurnie spoke to me over the phone, characterising my legitimate concerns as vexatious and unfounded. Yet, despite his attempt to undermine my complaints, she never dared to officially declare them invalid. This condescending approach, marked by ridicule from the opposing side, was a clear example of the gaslighting tactics employed against the COT Cases, further complicating our struggle for justice.
 
On 1 June 2021, Mathias Cormann officially assumed office as the Secretary-General of the OECD in Paris, France. Similarly to Australia's former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, he possesses comprehensive knowledge about the legitimacy of the COT Cases claims.  
 
French Flag - Absent Justice

Don't forget to hover your mouse/cursor over the kangaroo image to the right of this page → → →

Kangaroo Court - Absent Justice

The looming shadows of four letters—dated August 17, 2017, October 6, 2017, October 9, 2017, and October 10, 2017—written by COT Case Ann Garms shortly before her tragic passing, embody a haunting significance (See File Ann Garms 104 Document). Addressed to The Hon. Malcolm Turnbull MP, Australia’s then-Prime Minister, and Senator the Hon. Mathias Cormann, these letters reveal layers of betrayal and unearthly horror. The attachment from Ann's August 6 letter remains a chilling testament to her insight, underscoring secrets that many would wish to keep buried. 

On June 1, 2021, Mathias Cormann assumed a pivotal role as Secretary-General of the OECD in Paris. His deep knowledge of the COT Cases claims only amplifies the urgency of what Ann wrote, as whispers of accountability fade like shadows under a flickering streetlight. At the time she penned these courageous letters, I too reached out to Turnbull—a man with a heritage of engaging in matters concerning the public, yet burdened by murky waters of his predecessors. I shared an exhaustive timeline of events with Cormann and a lawyer in Hamilton, Victoria, culminating in a statutory declaration on July 26, 2019, that was meticulously crafted but ultimately drowned in bureaucratic indifference.

But the darkness doesn't merely lie in sealed documents; it extends to chilling allegations of child sexual assault against Senator Bob Collins, whose shadow casts a long pall over Parliament House, Canberra. Such grisly crimes have been documented extensively, a grim reminder of the malevolence that festers in high places—poisoning not just the political landscape, but the very fabric of society.

Ann Garms’ August 17 letter uncovers a grave truth: Wayne Goss, the former Premier of Queensland, disclosed that gaslighting tactics were employed against the COT Cases. This revelation isn't mere gossip; it comes from a credible source within the government, raising the spectre of calculated manipulation.

The suicide of Senator Bob Collins, occurring just before he was set to face serious charges, adds a chilling twist to this narrative. Collins was intertwined in the COT Cases, exacerbating an already convoluted web of deceit. Our desperate pursuit of essential documents, promised to us by Collins' office and vital for our arbitration claims against Telstra, was met with frustrating silence—an eerie echo of promises broken.

Is it too far-fetched to consider that the government was willfully concealing critical evidence? Especially while delving into Collins’ horrific allegations? Compounding these dark suspicions is the unsettling fact that the Australian Federal Police (AFP) were investigating Telstra for allegedly intercepting our arbitration documents and monitoring our communications. A sordid blend of the personal and the political casts a pall over legitimate inquiries, dragging everyone into a vortex of complicity and betrayal.

A closer examination of the COT story unveils a disconcerting reality: despite government assurances, Telstra continued to employ the legal services of Freehill Hollingdale & Page. This hypocrisy screams for scrutiny, as the government had claimed to eliminate Freehill from any COT involvement. Yet, in the shadows of arbitration, Freehill remained engaged—falsifying signatures on critical legal documents, signing off on counter-witness statements as if they were gospel truth, even when such signatures had never been made.

 

Absent Justice - My Story

 

The document from March 1994 (AUSTEL’s Adverse Findingsreveals a troubling reality: government officials tasked with investigating my ongoing telephone issues found my claims against Telstra to be valid. This was not merely an oversight; it indicates a deliberate pattern of misconduct that played out between Points 2 and 212. It is chilling to consider that, had the arbitrator been furnished with this critical evidence, he would likely have awarded me far greater compensation for my substantial business losses. 

Three decades have dragged on since these chilling events unfolded. But Freehill Hollingdale & Page, now cloaked as Herbert Smith Freehills Melbourne, remains disturbingly silent about their actions, which have wreaked unchecked havoc on my life. Their blatant disregard for legality fuels an unconscionable sense of injustice—one that lingers, festering like a wound left untreated. The silence from those who should bear responsibility only amplifies the haunting query: When will the truth, shrouded in darkness, finally emerge?

It was only after this event, and the fact that Telstra was not abiding by all parties in the third week of November 1993 and not arbitration, that I aimed to articulate that 47% of my lost revenues were attributable to a singular club loss. Despite presenting compelling evidence, which included the fact that the AFP had specifically instructed us not to divulge this vital information to Telstra during the AFP's protracted fourteen-month investigation, the arbitrator inexplicably refused to accept it. Initially, he assured me that he would consider my evidence once the AFP allowed me to submit my 'Over Forties Single Club' information to the arbitration process; however, he ultimately failed to honour that commitment. This refusal highlights the deeply flawed nature of the arbitration process, which appeared to prioritise the protection of Telstra's already tarnished reputation over delivering a just and equitable resolution.

I began piecing together the menu bar above in 2007 after receiving a government communications regulatory report that AUSTEL had deliberately concealed, both before and during my government-endorsed arbitration process in 1994. It wasn't until November 2007 that I discovered AUSTEL (now the Australian Communications and Media Authority - ACMA) had compiled an entirely different account of their investigations into my ongoing telephone issues than what was presented to the arbitrator in my case. Had I been privy to those findings, which proved I had a substantially stronger case against Telstra (the new defendants in my arbitration), the arbitrator would have been compelled to award me a significantly greater compensation payout. This damning evidence, supplied to me through the Freedom of Information Act, is attached as AUSTEL’s Adverse Findings, further highlighting the depths of this unconscionable betrayal.

In February 1994, I received a troubling communication from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) that would irrevocably alter the course of my business. The AFP explicitly directed me to meticulously sift through the telephone complaints lodged by my single-club patrons since 1990, carefully distinguishing them from a multitude of grievances filed by various educational institutions and organisations throughout the 1990s. This was no regular administrative task; instead, it represented a crucial and urgent measure to confront an imminent crisis of alarming magnitude.

The situation was even more distressing than I could have ever imagined. In a troubling twist of events, the arbitrator, seemingly in collusion with Telstra, which had been under investigation by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), three months before the commencement of my arbitration for having intercepted my phone conversations and hacked into my arbitration faxes and the faxs to and from the Telecommuications Industry was compelled by the AFP to clarify why Telstra employees believed it necessary to intercept my private telephone conversations with various patrons from a singles club. The AFP was also looking into the unsettling possibility that my confidential faxes exchanged with the singles club had been hacked. This breach not only jeopardised the privacy of my Singles Club patrons but also raised serious questions about the disappearance of vital arbitration-related faxes, suggesting a direct connection to the alarming circumstances I now found myself in during this government-endorsed arbitration.

 

Absent Justice - Deception Continues

 

Despite the arbitrator being fully informed of these troubling issues, he shockingly disallowed any evidence related to the singles club from being entered into the arbitration process. To make matters worse, he pointedly stated that my diaries lacked chronological order because I had failed to organise them in a proper folder. This unfortunate misunderstanding stemmed from a recommendation made by the AFP, which had suggested that I include all prior fault statements in my records, along with the emotional expressions documented in my rough complaint notes.

Denise McBurnie, the attorney representing Telstra, emphasised the critical importance of compiling these documents meticulously. She insisted that I required a comprehensive and detailed record of the phone complaints that Telstra had acknowledged, warning that failure to comply would result in Telstra's refusal to investigate my persistent telephone issues. These issues mirrored the very challenges that the AFP had faced during their inquiries. Ultimately, I was instructed to meticulously record these statements in my physical diaries, ensuring that I created a reliable secondary record of the ongoing frustrations and challenges I was facing during this complex and troubling ordeal.

The COT Cases revealed a significant network of corruption and treachery involving Freehill, Hollingdale & Page in their dealings with these matters. Robing Davey, the Chairman of AUSTEL, explicitly stated that Freehill, Hollingdale & Page would have no further involvement in the COT Case issues, as detailed in point 40 of the Prologue Evidence File No/2). Nevertheless, contrary to this official declaration, Freehill proceeded to serve as Telstra's arbitration lawyers in all principal COT arbitrations, marking a notable deviation from established protocol.

Telstra-Corruption-Freehill-Hollingdale & Page
Telstra-Corruption-Freehill-Hollingdale & Page

Corrupt practices persisted throughout the COT arbitrations, flourishing in secrecy and obscurity. These insidious actions have managed to evade necessary scrutiny. Notably, the phone issues persisted for years following the conclusion of my arbitration, established to rectify these faults

Confronting Despair
Confronting Despair

The independent arbitration consultants demonstrated a concerning lack of impartiality. Instead of providing clear and objective insights, their guidance to the arbitrator was often marked by evasive language, misleading statements, and, at times, outright falsehoods.

Flash Backs – China-Vietnam
Flash Backs – China-Vietnam

In 1967, Australia participated in the Vietnam War. I was on a ship transporting wheat to China, where I learned China was redeploying some of it to North Vietnam. Chapter 7, "Vietnam—Vietcong," discusses the link between China and my phone issues.

A Twenty-Year Marriage Lost
A Twenty-Year Marriage Lost

As bookings declined, my marriage came to an end. My ex-wife, seeking her fair share of our venture, left me with no choice but to take responsibility for leaving the Navy without adequately assessing the reliability of the phone service in my pursuit of starting a business.

Salvaging What I Could
Salvaging What I Could

Mobile coverage was nonexistent, and business transactions were not conducted online. Cape Bridgewater had only eight lines to service 66 families—132 adults. If four lines were used simultaneously, the remaining 128 adults would have only four lines to serve their needs.

Lies Deceit And Treachery
Lies Deceit And Treachery

I was unaware of Telstra's unethical and corrupt business practices. It has now become clear that various unethical organisational activities were conducted secretly. Middle management was embezzling millions of dollars from Telstra.

An Unlocked Briefcase
An Unlocked Briefcase
On June 3, 1993, Telstra representatives visited my business and, in an oversight, left behind an unlocked briefcase. Upon opening it, I discovered evidence of corrupt practices concealed from the government, playing a significant role in the decline of Telstra's telecommunications network.
A Government-backed Arbitration
A Government-backed Arbitration

An arbitration process was established to hide the underlying issues rather than to resolve them. The arbitrator, the administrator, and the arbitration consultants conducted the process using a modified confidentiality agreement. In the end, the process resembled a kangaroo court.

Not Fit For Purpose
Not Fit For Purpose

AUSTEL investigated the contents of the Telstra briefcases. Initially, there was disbelief regarding the findings, but this eventually led to a broader discussion that changed the telecommunications landscape. I received no acknowledgement from AUSTEL for not making my findings public.
&am

A Non-Graded Arbitrator
A Non-Graded Arbitrator

Who granted the financial and technical advisors linked to the arbitrator immunity from all liability regarding their roles in the arbitration process? This decision effectively shields the arbitration advisors from any potential lawsuits by the COT claimants concerning misconduct or negligence.<

The AFP Failed Their Objective
The AFP Failed Their Objective

In September 1994, two officers from the AFP met with me to address Telstra's unauthorised interception of my telecommunications services. They revealed that government documents confirmed I had been subjected to these violations. Despite this evidence, the AFP did not make a finding.&am

The Promised Documents Never Arrived
The Promised Documents Never Arrived

In a February 1994 transcript of a pre-arbitration meeting, the arbitrator involved in my arbitration stated that he "would not determination on incomplete information.". The arbitrator did make a finding on incomplete information.

 
Blowing the whistle  

If revealing actions that harm others is viewed as morally unacceptable, why do governments encourage their citizens to report such crimes and injustices? This contradiction highlights an essential aspect of civic duty in a democratic society. When individuals bravely expose wrongdoing, they often earn the title of "whistleblower." This term encompasses a complex reality: it represents the honour and integrity that come with standing up for truth and justice while also carrying the burden of stigma and potential personal consequences, such as workplace retaliation or social ostracism.

In this challenging context, a crucial question arises: Should we celebrate and support those who risk their security and reputation to expose misconduct, thereby fostering a culture of accountability and transparency? Or should we condemn their actions, viewing them as threats to stability and order? The answer to this question can significantly influence the ethics of openness within our communities and shape how society values integrity versus conformity. Ultimately, creating an environment that supports whistleblowers may be essential for nurturing a just and equitable society.

 

Books Written Concurrently - Absent Justice

 

We are in the process of developing twelve captivating chapters, numbered from 1 to 12, for an upcoming documentary that promises to engage and inform. Each chapter is undergoing meticulous refinement to enhance the speech patterns, ensuring that the narrative flows smoothly and resonates with our audience. The statements presented in these chapters have been rigorously edited and verified for factual accuracy, providing a solid foundation that does not require further revision.

To bring our story to life, we will enrich each chapter with evocative images that capture the essence of the narrative. These visuals will serve to deepen the viewer's understanding and emotional connection to the material. I am committed to completing the image editing process by mid-July 2025, ensuring that every detail is thoughtfully curated. With most chapters already in their final edited form, we are on track to create a cohesive and compelling narrative that will leave a lasting impact.

 
Chapter 1
Chapter 1

Learn about government corruption and the dirty deeds used by the government to cover up these horrendous injustices committed against 16 Australian citizens

Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Betrayal deceit disinformation duplicity falsehood fraud hypocrisy lying mendacity treachery and trickery. This sums up the COT government endorsed arbitrations.
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Ending bribery corruption means holding the powerful to account and closing down the systems that allows bribery, illicit financial flows, money laundering, and the enablers of corruption to thrive.
Chapter 4
Chapter 4

Learn about government corruption and the dirty deeds used by the government to cover up these horrendous injustices committed against 16 Australian citizens. Government corruption within the public service affected most if not all of the COT arbitrations. 

Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Corruption is contagious and does not respect sectoral boundaries. Corruption involves duplicity and reduces levels of morality and trust.
Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Anti-corruption policies need to be used in anti-corruption reforms and strategy. Corruption metrics and corruption risk assessment is good governance
Chapter 7
Chapter 7

Bribery and Corruption happens in the shadows, often with the help of professional enablers such as bankers, lawyers, accountants and real estate agents, opaque financial systems and anonymous shell companies that allow corruption schemes to flourish and the corrupt to launder their wealth.

Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Corrupt practices in government and the results of those corrupt practices become problematic enough – but when that corruption becomes systemic in more than one operation, it becomes cancer that endangers the welfare of the world's democracy.
Chapter 9
Chapter 9

Corruption in government, including non-government self-regulators, undermines the credibility of that government. It erodes the trust of its citizens who are left without guidance are the feel of purpose. Bribery and Corruption is cancer that destroys economic growth and prosperity. 

Chapter 10
Chapter 10

The horrendous, unaddressed crimes perpetrated against the COT Cases during government-endorsed arbitrations administered by the Telecommunication Industry Ombudsman have never been investigated. 

Chapter 11
Chapter 11

This type of skulduggery is treachery, a Judas kiss with dirty dealing and betrayal. This is dirty pool and crookedness and dishonest. This conduct fester’s corruption. It is as bad, if not worse than double-dealing and cheating those who trust you.&a

Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Absentjustice.com - the website that triggered the deeper exploration into the world of political corruption, it stands shoulder to shoulder with any true crime story.

 

 

Who We Are

Absent Justice - My Story

Children's lives could be at risk

Comments made from the Herald Sun newspaper dated 30 August 1993, confirm just how damaging some of these newspaper articles were to my already ailing business, with statements like:

“The Royal Children’s Hospital has told a holiday camp operators in Portland that it cannot send chronically ill children there because of Telecom’s poor phone service. The hospital has banned trips after fears that the children’s lives could be at risk in a medical emergency if the telephone service to the Portland camp continued to malfunction”.

The centre’s stand follows letters from schools, community groups, companies and individuals who have complained about the phone service at Portland’s Cape Bridgewater Holiday camp.”

Youths from the Royal Children’s Centre for Adolescent Health, who were suffering from “chronic illnesses”, visited the camp earlier this year.   

Group leader Ms Louise Rolls said in a letter to the camp the faulty phones had endangered lives and the hospital would not return to the camp unless the phone service could be guaranteed” Arbitrator File No/90

After the Melbourne Children's Hospital recorded a near-death experience involving me rushing a sick child with cancer to the Portland Hospital, which is 18 kilometres away from my holiday camp, the new owners of my business faced declining sales. This decline continued until at least 2006, thirteen years after the tragic event at the Children's Hospital → Chapter 4 The New Owners Tell Their Story

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Who We Are

 

Absent Justice Ebook

PLEASE BE AWARE: We would like to inform our readers that a recent review has uncovered that some of the links referenced in "Absent Justice" have been compromised for reasons that are currently unclear. In some instances, links may now be inactive or point to different content than initially intended, effectively obscuring the information they were meant to expose.

However, it is essential to note that "Absent Justice" is supported by over 1,300 exhibits, which are both available on this website and included in the evidence files related to the narrative. These exhibits provide substantial evidence backing the facts and claims made in the story. Although approximately six links have encountered issues, this does not diminish the overall integrity of the material. We encourage readers to access the truth by clicking on Evidence File-1 and Evidence-File-2, which contain crucial information and documentation supporting our claims.

We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this situation may have caused and appreciate your understanding as we work to resolve these issues. Kind regards,  Alan Smith, Author

 

Read About Our Dealings With

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“…the very large number of persons that had been forced into an arbitration process and have been obliged to settle as a result of the sheer weight that Telstra has brought to bear on them as a consequence where they have faced financial ruin if they did not settle…”

Senator Carr

This is the compelling story of a group of ordinary small business owners who found themselves in a David-and-Goliath struggle against one of the country's largest corporations—Telstra. For years, these dedicated individuals faced a barrage of phone issues that severely compromised their ability to run their businesses effectively. Time and again, when they reported the problems, Telstra responded with the dismissive phrase "No fault found," even though compelling evidence, meticulously documented in this publication and available on our website, clearly demonstrated that faults did exist, as illustrated in AUSTEL’s Adverse Findings.

The situation grew more dire as Telstra and its legal arbitration defence team resorted to manipulating the judicial process through dubious and unethical tactics. They intercepted critical faxes, failed to deliver crucial Freedom of Information documents—sometimes months, or even years late, and often riddled with extensive censorship that rendered them nearly unintelligible. They even destroyed vital documentary evidence while fabricating information that cast doubt on the legitimacy of the COT Four's claims.

Throughout this chaotic arbitration process, the arbitrator overlooked the key issues at the heart of our claim. Despite our persistent efforts to draw attention to these points, we found ourselves met with silence and indifference. Meanwhile, the regulatory bodies tasked with oversight—Austel, representing the government's interests, and the TIO, advocating for the telecommunications carriers—failed to rein in Telstra’s activities, appearing to collude in the struggle against our pursuit of justice.

This series of events highlights a profound breakdown of justice, far exceeding the initial concerns of simple phone malfunctions. We were merely asking for reliable phone service—an essential tool for conducting our businesses smoothly and efficiently.

Like most telephone users, each COT member once assumed that Telstra’s skilled technicians could easily detect and resolve their phone faults. Yet, the refrain of "No fault found" persisted, and the problems continued without resolution, echoing through our arbitration proceedings and into the years that followed, leaving devastating impacts on our livelihoods. The situation was perplexing: in a world where nearly everyone relied on telecommunication, how could a system designed to serve the public go so profoundly wrong? What was truly happening behind the scenes?

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