Dear friends,

Today you heard  Ralph Blewitt speak.   If you've listened to the whole ten minutes you'll know that Ralph has admitted to being involved in fraud.   He says that he signed documents that he knew to be false, he knew that the AWU-WRA was not involved in workplace reform.   He also admits to taking large amounts of cash out of bank accounts that bore the name AWU and to passing that money on to Bruce Wilson.

Just sit there for one moment please and consider what you have heard.

Ralph Blewitt has no immunity from prosecution.

He has voluntarily told you and me about many of the details of an elaborate fraud.   You know that much of the money in that fraud was linked to the WA Government's  Building and Construction Industry Training Fund.

Ralph Blewitt has exposed himself to prosecution for very serious indictable offences.   Each instance of theft carries a maximum gaol term of 10 years.   Each instance of obtaining a financial advantage by deception (for himself or another person) carries a maximum gaol term of 10 years.   Ralph Blewitt is doing an enourmously courageous thing.

And let's be clear, he has already done it.   He has made the admissions.   He has done that in good faith and in what I believe to be an honest and ethical effort to "do the right thing" - at last.

You are the reason we have a parliament and laws.   You are the reason we have a police force.   The parliament, the police and the courts exist because collectively you want them there to "maintain Her Majesty's peace".

Ralph Blewitt deserves to be taken very seriously by the authorities on your behalf.   He was right in the middle of an elaborate scheme in which more than $500,000 went to manifestly improper purposes.   He was in the meetings, at the bank, signing the papers - he was there.

You deserve to know that he's being taken seriously.   I will keep you posted.