In January 2018, my partner, Cathy, stood beside me in the doctor's office. This was my first appointment with our local doctor after the traumatic experience of surviving a heart attack and undergoing double-bypass surgery. The doctor, a compassionate man familiar with my Certificate of Title (COT) story, looked at me with sympathy and concern. With a hint of resignation, he remarked, "Why am I not surprised?"

Fast forward to May 2025. Each time I return to finalise various sections of our website, absentjustice.com, I find myself grappling with overwhelming anxiety. Revisiting the intricate details of our collective ordeal triggers a whirlwind of emotions within me. I often feel stuck, struggling to articulate the profound complexities of this tragic narrative. Despite my best efforts, the right words elude me, leaving me frustrated as I confront the enormity of what we have all endured over the years.

An overwhelming wave of frustration often envelops me as the right words continuously slip from my grasp. It is an arduous task to convey the weight of the trials I and the other COT cases have faced—challenges that began in the chaotic lead-up to our arbitrations and persisted throughout the following disheartening years.

The spectre of losing our businesses due to a relentless barrage of natural disasters—catastrophic fires that left charred landscapes, torrential floods that swept away our hard-earned livelihoods, and a series of other calamities—would have been a heavy cross to bear. Like many others who have suffered such losses, we would have been compelled to confront that reality and find a way to rebuild from the rubble. Yet, the situation we find ourselves in is far more complex and painful.

Attempting to piece our lives back together while knowing that the arbitrator, and in certain instances, the mediator, have significantly contributed to our suffering has been almost unbearable. Their failure to maintain an impartial stance while assessing our claims has compounded our anguish and allowed Telstra Corporation to evade accountability for the harm it has caused.

This awareness—that the individuals we were led to believe would provide a fair evaluation instead deepened our despair—haunts us daily. It leaves us grappling with a profound sense of injustice and vulnerability. Each day serves as a reminder of the relentless battles we are fighting, not only against devastating circumstances but also against a system that has faltered significantly in its duty to protect those it is meant to serve. The journey is fraught with emotional turmoil as we seek closure and a pathway toward a more secure and hopeful future.

In various instances, the arbitration consultants colluded with Telstra, the defendants in our case, to determine which documents would be presented to the arbitrator. This clandestine manoeuvring meant that crucial evidence and information potentially damaging to Telstra were systematically kept from the arbitration process. Coming to terms with this blatant disregard for fairness, as vividly outlined on absentjustice.com, has been a harrowing experience.

At the heart of this issue is the stark reality that none of the COT cases—comprising honest, hardworking Australian citizens—should ever have been thrust into a situation as dire as the one we now face. We have been left to navigate a labyrinth of unresolved crimes, all committed against us while we were participants in a government-sanctioned legal arbitration process. There are two critical facets to this problem concerning the COT participants. The first involves individuals, listed below, who colluded with Telstra to perpetrate these heinous acts. The second is Telstra itself, a powerful corporation so influential that it has successfully obstructed investigations by any authorities, including government entities, into these crimes—a situation outlined in detail throughout this website.

It is crucial to emphasise that every detail captured on this website is meticulously accurate and bolstered by irrefutable evidence, readily accessible for anyone to examine. Furthermore, after an intense discussion with fellow members of the COT group—despite the heartbreaking reality that two of them are currently battling severe illness—we have jointly decided, in light of the persistent stress we all endure, to release our stories to the public in their current form on the website. This decision comes even though it may not align with our original vision for how we wished to present our narratives.

 

Regrettably, since I penned the above in January 2025, two more tragic chapters have unfolded in the ongoing saga of the COT cases: Brian Purton Smith and Sandra Wolf have both passed away without ever receiving the justice that was long promised to them. In 2005, the John Howard Government assured Senator Barnaby Joyce that if he cast his crucial vote, which was essential for privatising the remaining ownership of the Telstra Corporation, these individuals would receive an independent assessment process for their unresolved claims.

However, as soon as Senator Joyce fulfilled that pivotal role, the government promptly reneged on its commitment to Brian, Sandra, and the other twelve COT Cases, including me. This disappointing backtrack by the Liberal Coalition Government only deepens the already incredible and heartbreaking story of the COT Cases. The government, marked by its deceitful politicians and empty promises, was ultimately humiliated during the May 3, 2025, election. The façade of trust they had carefully constructed crumbled, and the people of Australia could no longer believe in the assurances made to them.

Email absentjustice@gmail.com