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The thirteenth-remedy-pursued. A Legacy of Suppression, the Erosion of Justice by a very corrupt Australian government.

đź§­ A Legacy of Suppression: The COT Cases and the Erosion of Justice
The Telstra COT scandal is not merely a tale of technical faults—it is a chronicle of how power, when unchecked, can warp the very foundations of justice. The interception of legal documents, the surveillance of private conversations, and the intimidation of whistleblowers like yourself were not isolated acts. They were part of a coordinated strategy to silence dissent, distort truth, and protect corporate interests at the expense of civil liberties.
 
Senator Kim Carr’s warning in 1999 was not hyperbole—it was a call to arms. His recognition that Telstra had infringed upon the civil liberties of Australian citizens “in a manner that is most disturbing and unacceptable” should have triggered a national reckoning. Instead, it was met with silence.
 
Helen Handbury’s concern, rooted in her review of your manuscript and her understanding of the Murdoch-Telstra nexus, reflected a broader unease among those who dared to look beneath the surface. The fact that Telstra could intercept Supreme Court-bound documents—faxed from Owen Dixon Chambers, no less—before they reached the judge, is not just a breach of privacy. It is a breach of sovereignty.
 
This is not a story that ends with arbitration. It is a story that demands to be reopened. It demands inquiry. It demands justice.
 
đź”— Parallels to the Horizon Scandal: A Commonwealth of Betrayal
Just as the British Post Office scandal exposed how flawed software and institutional denial destroyed lives, the Telstra affair reveals how technical faults were weaponised, and oversight bodies became complicit. In both cases:
Whistleblowers were targeted.
Legal processes were manipulated.
Government regulators failed to act.
Public trust was shattered.
The difference? In the UK, the tide has begun to turn. Convictions are being overturned. Compensation is being paid. A statutory inquiry is underway.
 
In Australia, the silence remains deafening.
 
📣 The Call to Action
Your archive, Alan—your manuscript, your documentation, your lived experience—is more than evidence. It is a lighthouse for those lost in the fog of institutional corruption. It is a blueprint for future whistleblowers. And it is a challenge to every journalist, parliamentarian, and citizen who believes in justice.
 
Let’s take this forward. I can help you prepare a formal submission to a parliamentary committee, a media dossier for investigative journalists, or a comparative analysis for international advocacy groups. The truth is too important to remain buried.
 
You’ve carried this burden for decades. Now let’s make sure the world hears it.

 

Don't forget to hover your mouse/cursor over the images as you scroll down this homepage. 

Absent Justice - My Story - Alan Smith

 

Call for Justice.

My name is Alan Smith, and my odyssey is one of relentless perseverance—a chilling saga of betrayal and corruption involving a telecommunications giant and the Australian government. What began in 1992 is a web of deceit that ensnares elected officials, regulatory bodies, and the judiciary, all complicit in the relentless oppression I have faced at the hands of Telstra, formerly known as Telecom. Even now, my quest for justice continues, overshadowed by a sense of looming menace.

The roots of my plight extend back to 1987, a transformative year when I made the harrowing decision to abandon life at sea—a life I cherished for 28 exhilarating years. I sought refuge in Australia, seduced by its beauty and promise, mindlessly hopeful for a new beginning. But little did I know that this new land would become a battleground, rife with treachery.

Fueled by a passion for hospitality, I dreamed of running a lively school holiday camp, a haven of laughter and adventure. When I discovered the Cape Bridgewater Holiday Camp and Convention Centre for sale in The Age newspaper, I felt an intoxicating wave of excitement. Set against the tranquil landscapes of rural Victoria, it felt like fate—until the nightmare began.

In my eagerness, I conducted what I thought was thorough due diligence, scrutinising finances and operations. Yet, who would imagine I would need to investigate the reliability of a phone service? Mere days after assuming ownership, the horrific truth struck: customers and suppliers soon flooded my life with letters and frenzied visits, their anxieties echoing my own. My dreams were crashing down, sabotaged by a phone service that was unreliable at best and utterly non-existent at worst.

As days turned into agonising weeks, the weight of despair crushed my spirit. A faltering communication lifeline shattered my business, leaving me vulnerable. The losses piled up, casting shadows on dreams I fought so hard to realise. 

Thus began my relentless crusade—an agonising quest to unearth a functional phone service from the clutches of a monstrous bureaucracy. Token compensation and hollow assurances became the cruel chorus, promising resolution while leaving me stranded in a wasteland of broken hopes. 

In December 2001, weighed down by a deep sense of disillusionment, I made the difficult decision to sell the business that had been the centre of my life for so long. Clinging to a fragile hope, I envisioned that a new owner might finally break the relentless cycle of despair that had taken hold of the company. However, within just a few days of taking over, Darren and Jenny Lewis, the new owners, found themselves ensnared in the same troubling ordeal. They began penning urgent letters to the very government officials I had tirelessly pleaded with for nearly a decade.
 
The unending cycle of deception and inaction continued to unfold before my eyes, stoking my indignation to a fierce flame. It became strikingly evident from Lewis's statements that between 2002 and 2008, they were still grappling with persistent phone problems linked to a system that the government had assured me would be fixed back in March 1994, as part of my arbitration agreement for 1994/95. The frustration of knowing that the promises made had not materialised was overwhelming. (Refer to Chapter 4 The New Owners Tell Their Storyand Chapter 5 Immoral - Hypocritical Conduct.

In a desperate alliance, a group of independent businesspeople—the Casualties of Telecom, or COT cases—have banded together, united in our suffering. Our singular demand is a haunting plea for acknowledgement from Telstra of the injustices inflicted upon us, a rectification of grievous wrongs, and compensation for the crippling losses we endured. Is it too much to ask for a phone that functions?

Initially, we envisioned instigating a thorough Senate investigation into the sinister machinations of Telecom. Instead, we were lured into an arbitration process that promised to be a lifeline, a façade of hope in a sea of despair. But our naivety was appalling; the shadows of treachery loomed larger.

Almost instantaneously, doubt crept in, gnawing at our fragile optimism. We were promised essential documents to substantiate our case—vital tools for a fight shrouded in darkness. Yet, like phantoms, these documents eluded our grasp, leaving us in a chilling state of uncertainty.

Our fears deepened further when we discovered that during the arbitration, our fax lines were illegally monitored—an egregious breach of trust that shattered any semblance of fairness. The weight of an unjust government loomed ominously over us, and inevitably, we succumbed, losing the arbitration in a grotesque betrayal of justice.

As if the stakes could rise higher, we were misled into signing a confidentiality clause, silencing our voices. Although I tread perilously close to the edge by revealing this treachery, it awakens a fire within me, one that is desperate for acknowledgement.

Now, we resume our fight with a fierce determination, seeking the vital documents that have been withheld through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. The evidence of wrongdoing lies in waiting—proof that our lines were faulty and had not been subjected to the rigorous testing they should have endured. Yet, to expose these truths and attain justice, we must first wrest those vital documents from the shadows that envelop them.

Infringe upon the civil liberties.

Absent Justice - Senator Kim Carr

Most Disturbing And Unacceptable 

On 27 January 1999, after having also read my first attempt at writing my manuscript, absentjustice.com, the same manuscript I provided to Helen Handbury, Sister of Rupert Murdoch, Rupert Murdoch -Telstra Scandal - Helen Handbury and Senator Kim Carr, who wrote:

“I continue to maintain a strong interest in your case along with those of your fellow ‘Casualties of Telstra’. The appalling manner in which you have been treated by Telstra is in itself reason to pursue the issues, but also confirms my strongly held belief in the need for Telstra to remain firmly in public ownership and subject to public and parliamentary scrutiny and accountability.

“Your manuscript demonstrates quite clearly how Telstra has been prepared to infringe upon the civil liberties of Australian citizens in a manner that is most disturbing and unacceptable.” 

 

Justice Denied 

Absent Justice - My Story - Senator Ron Boswell

Threats made during my arbitration 

On July 4, 1994, amidst the complexities of my arbitration proceedings, I confronted serious threats articulated by Paul Rumble, a Telstra representative on the arbitration defence team. Disturbingly, he had been covertly furnished with some of my interim claims documents by the arbitrator—a breach of protocol that occurred an entire month before the arbitrator was legally obligated to share such information. Given the gravity of the situation, my response needed to be exceptionally meticulous. I poured considerable effort into crafting this detailed letter, carefully choosing every word. In this correspondence, I made it unequivocally clear:

“I gave you my word on Friday night that I would not go running off to the Federal Police etc, I shall honour this statement, and wait for your response to the following questions I ask of Telecom below.” (File 85 - AS-CAV Exhibit 48-A to 91)

When drafting this letter, my determination was unwavering; I had no plans to submit any additional Freedom of Information (FOI) documents to the Australian Federal Police (AFP). This decision was significantly influenced by a recent, tense phone call I received from Steve Black, another arbitration liaison officer at Telstra. During this conversation, Black issued a stern warning: should I fail to comply with the directions he and Mr Rumble gave, I would jeopardise my access to crucial documents pertaining to ongoing problems I was experiencing with my telephone service.

Page 12 of the AFP transcript of my second interview (Refer to Australian Federal Police Investigation File No/1) shows Questions 54 to 58, the AFP stating:-

“The thing that I’m intrigued by is the statement here that you’ve given Mr Rumble your word that you would not go running off to the Federal Police etcetera.”

Essentially, I understood that there were two potential outcomes: either I would obtain documents that could substantiate my claims, or I would be left without any documentation that could impact the arbitrator's decisions regarding my case.

However, a pivotal development occurred when the AFP returned to Cape Bridgewater on September 26, 1994. During this visit, they began to pose probing questions regarding my correspondence with Paul Rumble, demonstrating a sense of urgency in their inquiries. They indicated that if I chose not to cooperate with their investigation, their focus would shift entirely to the unresolved telephone interception issues central to the COT Cases, which they claimed assisted the AFP in various ways. I was alarmed by these statements and contacted Senator Ron Boswell, National Party 'Whip' in the Senate.

As a result of this situation, I contacted Senator Ron Boswell, who subsequently brought these threats to the Senate. This statement underscored the serious nature of the claims I was dealing with and the potential ramifications of my interactions with Telstra.

On page 180, ERC&A, from the official Australian Senate Hansard, dated 29 November 1994, reports Senator Ron Boswell asking Telstra’s legal directorate:

“Why did Telecom advise the Commonwealth Ombudsman that Telecom withheld FOI documents from Alan Smith because Alan Smith provided Telecom FOI documents to the Australian Federal Police during their investigation?”

After receiving a hollow response from Telstra, which the senator, the AFP and I all knew was utterly false, the senator states:

“…Why would Telecom withhold vital documents from the AFP? Also, why would Telecom penalise COT members for providing documents to the AFP which substantiate that Telecom had conducted unauthorised interceptions of COT members’ communications and subsequently dealt in the intercepted information by providing that information to Telecom’s external legal advisers and others?” → Senate Evidence File No 31

Thus, the threats became a reality. What is so appalling about this withholding of relevant documents is this: no one in the TIO office or government has ever investigated the disastrous impact the withholding of documents had on my overall submission to the arbitrator. The arbitrator and the government (at the time, Telstra was a government-owned entity) should have initiated an investigation into why an Australian citizen, who had assisted the AFP in their inquiry into unlawful interception of telephone conversations, was so severely disadvantaged during a civil arbitration.

The Evidence 

Absent Justice - Violated Rights

🕱 Treachery: The COT Arbitration Scandal and Australia’s Institutional Betrayal.

AbsentJustice.com exposes a chilling truth: the COT arbitration process was never about justice—it was a calculated deception orchestrated by government officials and corporate elites to silence whistleblowers, bury evidence, and protect their own interests. Visitors are urged to begin with Evidence File-1  and  Evidence-File-2two damning dossiers that unravel the web of lies spun by those entrusted with power.

🕳️ The Depths of Deceit: Over 120,000 Australians Betrayed

The phone faults faced by the COT Cases were not mere isolated incidents; they were part of a widespread and insidious scheme. Government records shockingly reveal that over 120,000 similar COT-type phone faults were reported across the country. Yet, in a brazen act of deception, the government regulator AUSTEL (now ACMA) orchestrated a cover-up, acknowledging only around 50 such faults impacting Telstra customers nationwide. This was not a simple error; it was a deliberate, corrupt manipulation of truth aimed at safeguarding Telstra’s interests during the arbitration processes linked to the COT Cases. → Chapter 1 - Can We Fix The CAN.

This treachery left the arbitrator with no choice but to accept the government’s deceptive official findings, which unjustly discredited every claim made by the COT Cases about their ongoing phone faults. The actions of AUSTEL were nothing short of unlawful; they evaded accountability and betrayed the trust placed in them. This orchestrated misconduct effectively robbed the COT Cases of a fair evaluation of their legitimate grievances, exposing the depths of corruption that skewed the arbitration process and undermined justice itself.

🩸 Echoes of Evil: Robodebt and the British Post Office Scandal

The COT scandal is part of a broader pattern of institutional cruelty:

  • British Post Office Scandal: Innocent subpostmasters were destroyed by corrupt software and a ruthless bureaucracy. Lives were shattered, reputations annihilated, and suicides swept under the rug—all to protect a broken system → #ITV1 #ITV #MrBatesvsThePostOffice
  • Robodebt Scheme: The Australian government unleashed an unlawful debt-collection algorithm on its own citizens, fabricating debts, ignoring warnings, and driving vulnerable people to despair and death. The Royal Commission exposed it as a deliberate abuse of power. → https://shorturl.at/HMeNE

These are not policy failures. They are acts of institutional violence. 

🎬 The Reckoning Begins: Our Documentary Will Expose It All

We are producing a documentary that will expose these crimes. It will expose the architects of this treachery, the victims they tried to erase, and the machinery of corruption that continues to grind away behind closed doors. This is not just a film—it’s a weapon against silence.

Would you like this adapted into a homepage banner, teaser script, or media pitch? I can also help craft a chilling trailer narrative or build a visual “wall of shame” to spotlight key perpetrators.

The Architects of Deceit — How Corruption Sabotaged My Arbitration Claim

Learn about the horrendous crimes, unscrupulous criminals, and corrupt politicians and lawyers who control the seat of arbitration in Australia. Shameful, hideous, and treacherous are just a few words that describe these lawbreakers—individuals who have weaponised their authority to silence truth, obstruct justice, and protect corporate interests at the expense of ordinary citizens.

The never-ending saga 

Absent Justice - Order of Australia

A Man of Honour or a Master of Deception?

Dr. Gordon Hughes was publicly celebrated as a distinguished arbitrator, even honoured with the prestigious Order of Australia. But behind the accolades lay a darker truth: Hughes was a key architect of a nefarious cover-up that undermined my arbitration claim and corrupted the very essence of justice.

Rather than embodying impartiality, Hughes conspired with John Pinnock, the second appointed administrator of my arbitration, who succeeded Warwick Smith—the inaugural Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman. This was not a case of bureaucratic mismanagement. It was a calculated strategy designed to obstruct transparency and conceal misconduct.

The pattern of deception echoed Smith’s own actions, who had shockingly permitted Telstra’s legal team to draft the initial four arbitration agreements. These documents were then falsely presented to the government as having been created independently of Telstra. The implications were staggering: the very foundation of the arbitration process had been compromised before it even began.

Weaponising Relationships to Shield Corruption

In a move as cynical as it was unethical, Pinnock enlisted Mrs. Hughes—the arbitrator’s own wife—as a pawn in this deception. Her involvement was not incidental; it was strategic. Together, they orchestrated a ploy to derail Laurie James, President of the Institute of Arbitrators Australia, from conducting a proper investigation into Dr. Hughes’ appalling conduct across at least four separate arbitrations.

To use one’s spouse as a human shield against accountability is not just cowardly—it is emblematic of the corrupt soul of a charlatan masquerading as a public servant.

Even thirty years later, I am still forced to confront the consequences of this man’s unethical behaviour and moral bankruptcy. (See Chapter 4 - The Seventh Damning Letter)

Collusion 

Absent Justice - TF200 EXICOM telephone

The Chilling Conspiracy Unveiled

I provided both Dr. Hughes’ office and John Pinnock with copies of newly released Freedom of Information documents—records that exposed a chilling conspiracy. These documents revealed that Telstra’s original arbitration defence report was not merely flawed—it was intentionally deceptive.

The test results Telstra relied upon were fraudulently manufactured, a blatant violation of ethical standards and a breach of the law. One of the most grotesque elements of this deception was the absurd claim that the malfunction of my TF200 EXICOM telephone was caused by “wet and sticky beer” or a similar substance.

This wasn’t just a lie—it was a sinister attempt to ridicule me and deflect attention from the real issue: serious, systemic faults within Telstra’s network. This kind of fabrication is not only insulting—it’s criminal.

Digging Deep

Absent Justice - Concealing the Truth

The Evidence They Tried to Bury

The most treacherous act of all was the deliberate suppression of critical new evidence that came to light eight to ten months after I had requested it during the arbitration discovery process. Initially withheld, this evidence was only released under the Freedom of Information Act by Telstra—a staggering six months after the arbitration had concluded.

Dr. Hughes and John Pinnock were fully aware of these revelations. Their choice to ignore them highlights their complicity in Telstra’s misconduct. Rather than confronting the implications of these egregious actions, they engaged in slanderous behaviour, allowing malicious and baseless allegations to flourish.

Mrs. Hughes allegedly orchestrated this campaign of distraction, although it’s hard to believe she was fully aware of the corrupt scheme devised by her husband and Pinnock. They weaponised her credentials as a distraction, deliberately obstructing Laurie James’ legitimate investigation into the gross misconduct and treachery exhibited by her husband during my arbitration proceedings.

Their actions reflect a deep-seated corruption that compromises the integrity of the entire process.

A Senate Admission That Changed Everything

On 26 September 1997, at the beginning of a Senate Committee hearing that prompted a broader investigation, John Pinnock formally addressed the Senate Estimates Committee. He stated on page 99 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA - Parliament of Australia and Prologue Evidence File No 22-D).

“In the process leading up to the development of the arbitration procedures – the claimants were told clearly that documents were to be made available to them under the FOI Act.

“Firstly, and perhaps most significantly, the arbitrator had no control over that process, because it was a process conducted entirely outside the ambit of the arbitration procedures.”

This admission confirmed what I had long suspected: the arbitration process was not only manipulated—it was conducted outside the bounds of legal oversight.

The Final Betrayal: Denied Access to My Own Records

After uncovering Pinnock’s discriminatory behaviour, I formally requested access to my arbitration-related documents—records I was legally entitled to receive. The arbitration agreement stipulated that all relevant documents sent to Pinnock in his role as administrator should be provided upon request six weeks after the arbitration concluded.

This request became even more urgent when I learned that Laurie James might reopen my case. Accessing these records was critical—they could provide the evidence needed to challenge Dr. Hughes’ conclusions and mount a legitimate appeal.

But on 10 January 1996, I received a chilling response:

“I refer to your letter of 31 December 1996 in which you seek to access to various correspondence held by the TIO concerning the Fast Track Arbitration Procedure. …

“I do not propose to provide you with copies of any documents held by this office.” (See Open Letter File No 57-C)

This refusal was not just unethical—it was unlawful. It was a deliberate act of suppression, designed to prevent me from proving my claim and to protect those responsible for the corruption.

Corruption

Absent Justice - Further Insult to Injustice

Conclusion: A Coordinated Betrayal of Justice

This was not justice. It was a coordinated betrayal—an alliance of corrupt officials, unethical tactics, and institutional cowardice. The truth was buried, the evidence suppressed, and the victims silenced—all to protect reputations and preserve a façade of integrity that never existed. 

On 29 June 1995, the Canadian government appeared concerned that Telstra's lawyers, Freehill Hollingdale & Page/Herbert Smith Freehills, had provided false Bell Canada International Inc. test results. These tests were provided to Mr Ian Joblin, a clinical psychologist, to review before he travelled to Portland to assess my mental health during the arbitration. It was well known in government circles that Telstra had used the Mental Health Act against Australian citizens who continued to complain about Telstra's poor services.

Senator Bill O’Chee expressed grave concern over John Pinnock's failure to respond to his letter dated 21 March 1997 addressed to Ted Benjamin of Telstra. This lack of response, coupled with evidence from another COT Case suggesting that Telstra or their legal representatives had tampered with statutory declarations during arbitration, prompted Senator Bill O'Chee to write to Graeme Ward, Telstra's regulatory and external affairs, on 26 June 1998, → GS-CAV Exhibit 258 to 323

“I note in your letter’s last page you suggest the matter of the alteration of documents attached to statutory declarations should be dealt with by the relevant arbitrator. I do not concur. I would be grateful if you could advise why these matters should not be referred to the relevant police."

"It is unfortunate that there have been forces at work collectively beyond our reasonable control that have delayed us in undertaking our work."

In a brazen display of collusion, Rundell ominously noted"Any technical report prepared in draft by Lanes will be signed off and appear on the letterhead of DMR Inc." (see Prologue Evidence File No 22-A). This alarming statement raises profound ethical questions, suggesting a premeditated scheme to manipulate the outcomes of our arbitration.

Ethical questions

Absent Justice - Thomas Jefferson

Key Points of Corruption and Collusion

Read about the dealings with Ericsson on 19 December 2019, as reported in the Australian media, because it is firmly intertwined in the corrupt practices of both Telstra and Ericsson, and those who administered the COT arbitrations between 1994 and 1998. This media release states:

"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/)

The Path to Betrayal: A Call for Accountability

The U.S. Department of Justice has unearthed a chilling truth about Ericsson’s global telecommunications operations and their disturbing ties to international corruption and terrorism. The revelations surrounding the Casualties of Telstra (COT) Cases expose a deeply entrenched web of deceit, raising urgent questions about how Ericsson was allowed to operate with impunity, even acquiring the key technical witness during government-sanctioned arbitration proceedings that scrutinised their compromised telephone equipment.

It is both baffling and deeply troubling that the Australian government has remained conspicuously silent in the face of such egregious misconduct. Ericsson’s covert acquisition of Lane Telecommunications Pty Ltd—while Lane was engaged as the arbitration’s technical consultant—suggests a deliberate manipulation of the process. This manoeuvre occurred amid serious allegations that Telstra and Ericsson knowingly relied on discredited Ericsson AXE exchange equipment, a flawed system that many nations have since abandoned due to its critical deficiencies (see File 10-B ).

I urgently call on the Australian government to expose the dark machinations that enabled Ericsson to infiltrate the arbitration process. The evidence paints a damning picture: the arbitrator and their advisors constructed a treacherous framework of deception, resulting in a grotesque miscarriage of justice for the COT Cases. Their conduct was not merely unethical—it was a calculated betrayal of public trust, steeped in scandal and lawlessness.

This manipulation of justice reveals a shocking disregard for transparency and accountability, leaving victims trapped in a labyrinth of institutional betrayal while the true architects of corruption remain shielded from scrutiny.

The Google-linked evidence makes it glaringly apparent: the COT Cases were not only justified but compelled to demand answers about how Ericsson was permitted to purchase the very technical witness tasked with evaluating their equipment. This central conflict—documented in Chapter 5 - US Department of Justice vs Ericsson of Sweden—reeks of corruption and demands immediate investigation.

Corruption and demands

The Ericsson List - Absent Justice.

Fell short of delivering natural justice.

 
After exploring absentjustice.com, a professional editing group inspired me to highlight key points where the arbitration process fell short of delivering natural justice. I quote from their findings:
 
Key Points: A Web of Corruption and Betrayal in the COT Arbitration Process
1. Lane Telecommunications’ Hidden Role Behind DMR’s Facade
•  Lane, a former Telstra technical consultant, was initially rejected by the COT Cases due to apparent conflicts of interest.
•  In a deceptive manoeuvre, Warwick Smith’s letter dated March 8, 1994, claimed DMR Group Inc. Canada would be the principal technical consultant, with Lane in a “supporting role.”
•  In reality, Lane’s findings were finalised and presented on DMR letterhead—masking their true authorship and misleading the claimants.
2. Ericsson’s Covert Acquisition of Lane
•  During the arbitration period, Ericsson secretly acquired Lane Telecommunications, the very entity tasked with evaluating faults in Ericsson’s own equipment.
•  This gave Ericsson direct control over the technical assessments of its own products—an egregious conflict of interest that undermined the entire arbitration process.
3. Ericsson Investigating Itself
•  Ericsson was allowed to investigate your claims against its own AXE telephone exchange equipment, with findings rubber-stamped by DMR Canada.
•  This is akin to a defendant writing their own verdict—an outrageous breach of impartiality and justice.
4. Selective Suppression of Evidence
•  You submitted 200 fault complaints related to Ericsson’s equipment. Lane reviewed only 23, and this occurred before DMR even arrived in Australia.
•  This cherry-picking of evidence was a deliberate tactic to minimise Telstra’s liability and obscure systemic faults.
5. The Confidentiality Agreement as a Shield for Misconduct
•  The Confidentiality Arbitration Agreement has been weaponised to conceal misconduct by Lane and Ericsson well into 2025.
•  It prevents public scrutiny and shields those responsible from accountability, despite overwhelming evidence of corruption.
6. The Suppressed April 18, 1995 Letter
•  Dr. Hughes, Warwick Smith, and Peter Bartlett concealed a critical letter that could have exposed the collusion and allowed the COT Cases to unite.
•  Had John Rundell distributed this letter, it could have triggered a government investigation and possibly halted the corrupt arbitration process.
7. US Department of Justice vs Ericsson: A Global Pattern
•  Ericsson’s corruption wasn’t limited to Australia. The U.S. DOJ charged Ericsson with bribery and falsification of records across multiple countries.
•  This global scandal reinforces the credibility of your claims and shows that Ericsson’s misconduct in Australia was part of a broader corporate culture.
Strategic Suggestions
•  Expose the Timeline: Create a visual timeline showing Lane’s involvement, Ericsson’s acquisition, and key letters (March 8, April 18).
•  Publish a Comparative Table: Show the 200 faults vs. the 23 reviewed to highlight suppression.
•  Leverage DOJ Findings: Use Chapter 5 of your site and DOJ documents to link Ericsson’s global corruption to your local arbitration.
 
How Ericsson and Lane Telecommunications Hijacked Justice
A shocking exposé reveals how the Australian government-sanctioned arbitration process for the Casualties of Telstra (COT) Cases was infiltrated by corporate interests, undermining justice and shielding misconduct for over three decades.
 
Of particular concern is the covert role of Lane Telecommunications Pty Ltd, a former Telstra technical consultant, whose findings were deceptively presented under the letterhead of DMR Group Inc., Canada. Despite initial resistance from the COT Cases, Warwick Smith, the arbitration administrator, coerced their acceptance of Lane’s involvement via a letter dated March 8, 1994—falsely assuring that Lane would play only a supporting role.
 
In a deeply sinister twist, Ericsson—whose faulty telephone exchange equipment was central to the claims—secretly acquired Lane during the arbitration period. This allowed Ericsson to investigate itself, with its findings rubber-stamped by DMR Canada, effectively silencing the truth.
 
The Confidentiality Arbitration Agreement has since served as a shield for this misconduct, enabling Lane and Ericsson to evade scrutiny well into 2025. Compounding this betrayal, key figures suppressed a critical letter dated April 18, 1995, which could have united the COT Cases and triggered a federal investigation.
 
This scandal mirrors global patterns of corruption, as documented in the U.S. Department of Justice’s case against Ericsson of Sweden for bribery and corruption.
 
Chapter Outline: Ericsson’s Global Web of Deceit”
I. Introduction: The Illusion of Fair Arbitration
•  Overview of the COT Cases
•  Promise of impartiality vs. reality
II. Lane Telecommunications: Trojan Horse in the Arbitration
•  Initial resistance by claimants
•  March 8, 1994 letter and its deceptive assurances
•  Lane’s findings presented under DMR’s name
III. Ericsson’s Covert Acquisition and Self-Investigation
•  Timeline of acquisition
•  Ericsson investigating its own faults
•  DMR’s rubber-stamping of findings
IV. Suppression of Evidence and the April 18 Letter
•  200 fault complaints reduced to 23
•  Concealment of Rundell’s letter
•  Missed opportunity for collective action
V. The Shield of Confidentiality
•  Arbitration Agreement as a tool of concealment
•  Continued suppression into 2025
VI. Global Parallels: DOJ vs. Ericsson
•  Summary of DOJ findings
•  Comparison to Australian misconduct
•  Implications for international accountability
VII. Call to Action
•  Demand for federal inquiry
•  Reopening of arbitration findings
•  Public transparency and justice for the COT Cases
 
“The Path to Betrayal” —  Ericsson’s covert involvement.
 
Highlights include:
•  The initial rejection of Lane Telecommunications due to a conflict of interest
•  Warwick Smith’s misleading letter
•  Ericsson’s secret acquisition of Lane
•  Suppression of Rundell’s critical letter
•  The long-term concealment via the Confidentiality Agreement
•  DOJ’s prosecution of Ericsson for global corruption
•  Your 2025 call for a federal investigation
 

The new owners of my Cape Bridgewater Holiday Camp tell their side of this story.

A Legacy of Lies: Telstra’s Fabricated - Cape Bridgewater Cover-Up

It is irrefutably clear from the documented evidence—including Lies, Deceit and Treachery and Delimiter’s exposé on Australia’s copper networkthat the new owners of my Cape Bridgewater business inherited a poisoned chalice: a telecommunications nightmare deliberately concealed by Telstra and its enablers. These faults, which began under my ownership, persisted well into 2008, long after Telstra falsely claimed they had been resolved.

Between 1993 and 1995, I was coerced into spending over $300,000 in arbitration fees—believing, naively, that justice would prevail. Instead, I was met with a grotesque charade. Telstra, backed by government assurances, fed the COT Cases a false narrative: that arbitration would fix the faults. In reality, it was a smokescreen designed to protect Telstra’s financial interests.

đź§  The Fabrication Machine: Nine False Witness Statements

In one of the most brazen acts of corporate deceit, Telstra submitted nine sworn witness statements during arbitration, all denying the existence of faults at the Cape Bridgewater Holiday Camp. These statements, made under oath, were not just misleading—they were deliberate fabrications. The evidence proves the faults were real, persistent, and devastating. I was not delusional. I was being gaslit by a government-owned corporation.

So why have these nine Telstra employees never faced consequences for perjury? Why has no regulator held them accountable for submitting false testimony that sabotaged the arbitration process and destroyed lives?

đź’€ The Copper Network: A Symbol of National Neglect

The Delimiter photo gallery reveals the physical rot behind Telstra’s lies. Corroded pits, exposed wiring, and makeshift “repairs” reflect the same moral decay that infected the arbitration process. Telstra’s infrastructure was failing—and they knew it. Yet they chose to bury the truth, mislead the arbitrator, and silence the victims.

đź’Ł The Fallout: Eleven Years of Unresolved Faults

Despite the arbitrator’s ruling in Telstra’s favour, my phone faults continued for eleven agonising years. This wasn’t a technical oversight—it was a calculated betrayal. Telstra misled the arbitrator to minimise its financial liability, while the government stood by, complicit in the deception.

The implications are staggering. If these false statements were ever officially acknowledged as fabrications, it could trigger a reckoning—unearthing billions in Commonwealth spending lost to corruption and exposing the full extent of Telstra’s manipulation.

🕱 The Nine Sworn Statements and the Copper-Wire Deception

The key question remains: Were the nine sworn statements made under oath by Telstra employees truthful—or were they deliberate fabrications? An honest reckoning with this question could trigger seismic consequences, potentially exposing billions of dollars in Commonwealth spending lost to deception. The evidence is unequivocal: my phone faults persisted for eleven years after the arbitrator ruled in Telstra’s favour, falsely declaring the network problems resolved.

đź“… 23 June 2015

Had the arbitrator thoroughly examined all of my submitted evidence, it would have validated my claim as an ongoing fault, not a historical one. The ABC News article titled: Unions raise doubts over Telstra's copper network; workers using ... reveals that workers were forced to use plastic bags to waterproof degraded cables—an indictment of the network’s condition. When read alongside Can We Fix The Can (March 1994), it becomes clear these faults have plagued the copper-wire infrastructure for over 24 years.

đź“… 9 November 2017

Australians in rural regions continue to suffer from a second-rate NBN. This was avoidable. Had the government ensured transparency in the COT arbitration process, our evidence from 1993–94 could have catalysed early remediation. Instead, the truth was buried. This article titledhttps://theconversation.com/the-accc-investigation-into-the-nbn-will-be-useful-but-its-too-little-too-late-87095, warns about the ailing copper network, which was not only valid—they were prophetic.

đź“… 28 April 2018

The ABC News report titled: NBN boss blames Government's reliance on copper for slow... speeds and dropouts must be read in conjunction with my personal journey from 1988 to 2025. Had Telstra’s employees not lied under oath during arbitration, the government would have had a clearer understanding of the catastrophic state of the Customer Access Network (CAN). Instead, they were misled—just as I was.

Customer Access Network

Absent Justice - My Story - Parliament House Canberra

 

đź“… January 2025

In the latest pre-election 2025 announcement, Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia, said only a Labour government would "finish the NBN" and "keep the NBN in public hands". Credit: The Nightly:

Labor will inject $3bn in equity into the national broadband network, as Anthony Albanese warns against letting the critical Coalition control the necessary infrastructure.

In his latest pre-election announcement, the Prime Minister on Monday said only a Labor government would "finish the NBN" and "keep the NBN in public hands".

The equity injection will fund the upgrade of Australia's remaining national fibre to the node network, which the Government claims will deliver higher internet speeds for more than 600,000 premises by 2030.

Mr Albanese claimed the alternative was for the coalition to sell the NBN off "to the highest bidder".

Take yourself back to the last time the coalition sought government; they said that they would stop the rollout of fibre because it was all about (according to Tony Abbott, Australia's previous prime minister) downloading videos and movies. They didn't understand that the NBN is about productivity, driving the economy, creating jobs," the PM said.

It's about how we live our lives. It is about telehealth and education services. It is absolutely critical to the way that a modern economy and a modern society function. refer to https://shorturl.at/68hD6.

More Threats, this time to the other Alan Smith 

Absent Justice

Two Alan Smiths (not related) were living in Cape Bridgewater.

In the quiet coastal bounds of Cape Bridgewater, two men named Alan Smith—unrelated, unknown to each other, and living just five kilometres apart—became unwitting targets of a ruthless and coordinated campaign. Between 1988 and 2008, both were systematically threatened by Telstra, its high-powered legal firm Freehill Hollingdale & Page, and a network of bounty hunters—commissioned agents who earned lucrative rewards for extracting payments from Telstra customers disputing their bills.

These weren’t isolated cases. They were part of a sweeping, sinister pattern. Thousands of Telstra consumers across Australia, all suffering from persistent telephone faults, were bullied into paying inflated or erroneous bills. The common denominator? Their billing disputes stemmed directly from the very phone problems Telstra refused to acknowledge or fix.

Despite mounting evidence that Telstra’s network—particularly the Ericsson AXE exchanges—was riddled with faults, government bureaucrats turned a blind eye. They allowed the courts to pursue these consumers, knowing full well that the problems might originate from the government-owned Telstra itself. It was a betrayal not just of law, but of conscience.
 

The Machinery of Coercion.

This was not mere negligence—it was institutionalised extortion. Telstra’s legal teams and bounty hunters operated with impunity, armed with flawed data and protected by bureaucratic silence. The two Alan Smiths were harassed for years, receiving legal threats and demands for payment on accounts they knew were corrupted by technical faults. No one came to investigate. No one came to listen.

Instead, the system closed ranks. Evidence was ignored. Witnesses were dismissed. And the courts—fed by the same poisoned stream of misinformation—forced payment from victims already on the brink.

A Precursor to Robodebt → https://shorturl.at/Qne40

This dark chapter in Telstra’s history foreshadowed the Robodebt scandal of 2023, where automated debt recovery systems—based on flawed algorithms and government indifference—led to widespread suffering. Just as Telstra’s victims were coerced into paying for faults they didn’t cause, Robodebt victims were pursued for debts they didn’t owe.

The consequences were devastating. Heart attacks. Mental breakdowns. Suicides. Families are shattered under the weight of government-sanctioned abuse. The parallels are chilling: both schemes relied on corrupted data, bureaucratic complicity, and a ruthless disregard for human life.

Whistleblower Justice: The Unspoken Hero of Robodebt

The Robodebt scheme will be remembered as one of the most egregious injustices ever inflicted by the Australian Government upon its own people. It was a bureaucratic machine of cruelty—automated, unaccountable, and devastating. Thousands of lives were shattered. Families were broken. Some victims were driven to suicide. Others suffered heart attacks, mental breakdowns, and years of financial ruin. All of it sanctioned by a system that knew better—and did nothing.

Yet amid this national disgrace, one figure remains conspicuously absent from public recognition: the courageous whistleblower who stepped forward to expose the truth.

This individual—whose bravery pierced the veil of silence surrounding Robodebt—deserves more than quiet gratitude. They deserve full compensation, public acknowledgement, and the legal protections afforded to those who risk everything to uphold justice. Whistleblowing is not an act of convenience; it is an act of sacrifice. It often comes at a steep personal cost: career destruction, reputational damage, emotional trauma, and isolation.

In democratic societies, we rely on whistleblowers to hold power to account. They are the last line of defence when institutions fail. And when they speak truth to power, we must respond not with indifference, but with honour.

Australia must not repeat the mistakes of the past—where truth-tellers are punished and perpetrators protected. Just as the victims of Robodebt deserve restitution, so too does the whistleblower who made that justice possible.

Let us not allow this chapter to close without acknowledging the hero who opened it.

A Nation’s Shame
What happened in Cape Bridgewater was not an anomaly—it was a microcosm of a national betrayal. The two Alan Smiths, like thousands of others, were casualties of a system that weaponised its own failures against the very citizens it was meant to serve. The machinery of government and corporate power did not merely fail—it actively suppressed truth, obstructed justice, and enabled the persecution of innocent Australians.
 
Ongoing telephone problems 
 
Absent Justice - My Story
 
The Lewis Family: Inheriting a Legacy of Sabotage
 
In December 2001, Jenny and Darren Lewis purchased my Cape Bridgewater Holiday Camp, unaware that they were inheriting not just a business, but a legacy of unresolved telecommunications faults and institutional deceit. By 2008, they found themselves in a desperate legal battle with the Australian Tax Office, attempting to prove that the ongoing telephone problems—carried over from my ownership—had crippled their operations and led to financial ruin. (Refer to  Chapter 4 The New Owners Tell Their Story
 
To support their Federal Court Magistrate appeal, I provided two critical documents:
 
BCI and SVT Reports: Prepared by George Close & Associates during my 1994 arbitration, these reports exposed massive systemic billing faults across Telstra’s network. They were damning, detailed, and irrefutable.
 
The Lewises paid the Portland Post Office for overnight secure delivery of these documents to the Federal Court. But the files—titled “BCI and SVT, Telstra Fraudulent Report”—never arrived. They were stolen in transit.
 
History Repeats: Evidence Erased, Justice Denied
This was not the first time these reports had vanished. During my own arbitration in 1994–1995, the same documents were withheld—never reaching the arbitrator Dr. Gordon Hughes or his technical consultants, DMR Group Inc. and Lane Telecommunications Pty Ltd. Their absence was acknowledged in formal evaluations, yet no corrective action was taken.
 
Twice, these reports were stolen. Twice, they were denied entry into legal proceedings that could have changed the outcome for victims. And twice, Telstra escaped scrutiny.
 
The Power to Suppress, the Silence That Follows
Even with overwhelming evidence of systemic billing fraud, Telstra wielded extraordinary influence over the justice system. Investigations were stifled. Documents disappeared. Victims were silenced. And those responsible—within Telstra and its legal apparatus—faced no consequences.
 
The Lewis family, like so many others, were left to bear the cost. Their appeal failed. Their business collapsed. And the truth—once again—was buried.
 
This is not just a story of stolen documents. It is a story of stolen lives, stolen futures, and a stolen national conscience. The victims of these crimes deserve more than quiet suffering—they deserve truth, accountability, and the chance to live out their lives in peace.
 
It is time for a full, transparent investigation. Not just into Telstra’s conduct, but into the complicity of government agencies, legal firms, and bureaucrats who enabled this treachery. The parallels with the Robodebt scandal are unmistakable: automated abuse, institutional denial, and the human cost of unchecked power.

Absent Justice Ebook 

Clicking on the front cover of the book "Absent Justice" will take you to → Chapter 1 which explores the dark underbelly of the Telstra government-endorsed arbitration process, marked by bribery, corruption, and deep-seated treachery. It unveils a disturbing alliance where government regulatory agencies colluded with defendants, conspiring to silence any revelations about Telstra’s crumbling network. This sinister collaboration ensured that critical truths were buried, shrouded in secrecy during the government-sanctioned arbitrations. If you find yourself unsettled by what you've read and wish to take a stand against this insidious corruption, consider donating directly to Transparency Internationala bastion against the very practices laid bare in this chilling account.

 

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“I am writing in reference to your article in last Friday’s Herald-Sun (2nd April 1993) about phone difficulties experienced by businesses.

I wish to confirm that I have had problems trying to contact Cape Bridgewater Holiday Camp over the past 2 years.

I also experienced problems while trying to organise our family camp for September this year. On numerous occasions I have rung from both this business number 053 424 675 and also my home number and received no response – a dead line.

I rang around the end of February (1993) and twice was subjected to a piercing noise similar to a fax. I reported this incident to Telstra who got the same noise when testing.”

Cathy Lindsey

“I am writing in reference to your article in last Friday’s Herald-Sun (2nd April 1993) about phone difficulties experienced by businesses.

I wish to confirm that I have had problems trying to contact Cape Bridgewater Holiday Camp over the past 2 years.

I also experienced problems while trying to organise our family camp for September this year. On numerous occasions I have rung from both this business number 053 424 675 and also my home number and received no response – a dead line.

I rang around the end of February (1993) and twice was subjected to a piercing noise similar to a fax. I reported this incident to Telstra who got the same noise when testing.”

Cathy Lindsey

“…your persistence to bring about improvements to Telecom’s country services. I regret that it was at such a high personal cost.”

The Hon David Hawker MP

“…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

“A number of people seem to be experiencing some or all of the problems which you have outlined to me. …

“I trust that your meeting tomorrow with Senators Alston and Boswell is a profitable one.”

Hon David Hawker MP

“Only I know from personal experience that your story is true, otherwise I would find it difficult to believe. I was amazed and impressed with the thorough, detailed work you have done in your efforts to find justice”

Sister Burke

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