Note to editors/journalists - Julia Gillard is currently facing very serious allegations and Victoria Police are investigating those allegations

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Monday, 26 November, 2012 - Bill Leak proves his genius - again.

A life of privilege,high flying, do what you want and the little people can fend for themselves

Note to editors/journalists - Julia Gillard is currently facing very serious allegations and Victoria Police are investigating those allegations

Monday, 26 November 2012

I first published this piece on 26 November last year. As many of you are aware, there's been a bit of a cheer-squad for the PM parrotting the Labor Party line that she did nothing wrong. Sadly, Ray Hadley is one of those people. Ray, I wish you well, but you need to read more and weigh up evidence yourself, don't just rely on reading out newspaper articles and taking your lead from others. I've written to Ray after what he said on air and wrote in emails about me and my email to him is copied at the bottom of this 29 November, 2012 post.

ORIGINAL POST

The government's approach to The AWU Scandal is for each Labor member to parrot a line.

"No allegation of wrongdoing has been made against the Prime Minister".

Here are just a few examples of the mantra trotted out over the weekend.

Tony Burke, the environment minister, "there is no actual allegation for Ms Gillard to take on."

Defending Ms Gillard, Attorney-General Nicola Roxon said none of the matters raised added up to any substantive allegations.

"There is still no allegation of impropriety or illegal conduct by the Prime Minister.'' Nicola Roxon.

Foreign Minister Bob Carr said that ''as we in the Labor party see it, this is a conspiracy theory fastened on by the opposition''.

"This is a smear campaign which is not based on any facts", Wayne Swan.

The Prime Minister herself said that after years of examination of the AWU matter there was “not
one substantiated allegation of wrongdoing” against her.

Well that is just plain wrong.

On 11 October, 2012 I interviewed Ralph Edwin Blewitt for the first time. He stated that the Power of Attorney that purports to have been witnessed by Julia Gillard simply wasn't witnessed by her. He said that the document was backdated, was brought to Perth by Bruce Wilson and Julia Gillard was not present when he signed it.

I thought about that overnight 11 October. I sought expert legal advice from a Queen's Counsel who practices in criminal law.

I reviewed Section 83A of the Crimes Act Victoria. - Creation of False Documents, penalty 10 years gaol.

In particular I noted this provision of Section 83A:

(6) For the purpose of this section, a document is false if it purports-

   (g) to have been made or altered on a date on which, or at a place at
        which, or otherwise in circumstances in which, it was not in fact made
        or altered;

On 12 October, 2012 I wrote to the Prime Minister to get her side of the story.

http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2012/10/for-the-public-record-please-prime-minister.html

I waited 5 days for an answer. I received no answer. That left a substantial allegation of a serious indictable offence against Julia Eileen GILLARD unanswered, the evidence unchallenged by her.

As a result of her silence, on 17 October, 2012, I reported the Prime Minister's conduct in the matter of the Power of Attorney to the Chief Commissioner of Police, Victoria Police Force.

Here is a link to my original letter of 17 October. There's a note on the top of it that I added about 4 weeks later after I received some information from police that I thought would remain confidential.

http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2012/10/my-report-to-the-chief-commissioner-of-police-in-victoria.html

On 12 November, 2012 a Detective Sergeant with the Fraud Squad contacted me to tell me that he was in charge of the initial investigation. He and I had several conversations that day and I furnished further and better particulars to him as well as some further documentary evidence.

The detective then asked me if I could contact Ralph Edwin Blewitt and if so could I invite him to attend on Victoria Police to make a statement. It's now widely known that Mr Blewitt did in fact return to Australia as a result of the detective's request.

I wrote this letter to Blewitt's lawyers that day - it's not been published and as the confidentiality provisions have now lapsed here it is for the record.

Dear Mr Galbally,

CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATION - FORWARDED FOR THE SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE PURPOSE OF LEGAL ADVICE

I write in the belief that you act for Ralph Edwin BLEWITT.

On Thursday, 11 October, 2012 I interviewed Mr Blewitt about certain aspects of the purchase of 1/85 Kerr Street Fitzroy including the purported Specific Power of Attorney witnessed by Julia Gillard. I published the audio of that interview to the internet at www.michaelsmithnews.com

A transcript of the interview is here http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2012/10/the-awu-scandal-ralph-blewitt-talks-about-the-power-of-attorney-transcript.html

On Wednesday, 17 October, 2012, I wrote to the Chief Commissioner of Police in Victoria and reported what appeared to me to be a prima facie case of the creation of a false instrument.

A copy of my letter to Chief Commissioner Ken D. Lay APM is here http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2012/10/my-report-to-the-chief-commissioner-of-police-in-victoria.html

I promptly received a letter from Chief Commissioner Lay's staff advising that the matter had been reported and was receiving the attention of the crime department.

I was telephoned today by Detective Sergeant XXXXXXX (tel XXXX, MOBILE XXXXXX). Detective Sergeant XXXXX told me that the police are in the early stages of assessing the possible offences disclosed by the conduct of various players in The AWU Scandal.

Victoria Police are keen to speak with Mr BLEWITT or you in the first instance as his advisor. I have mentioned to Ralph that I've been contacted by Victoria Police.

Yours

As a result of the request made by Victoria Police, Ralph Blewitt attended at various lawyers offices in Melbourne last week for the purpose of producing detailed, admissible and relevant statements to police regarding certain events in The AWU Scandal.

On Friday, 23 November, Mr Blewitt attended with his lawyer at the Victoria Police Fraud Squad offices in Melbourne. He voluntarily made written statements to police without the benefit of immunity from prosecution himself. He is in jeopardy of being charged with serious offences. Ralph's statements to police contain a provision that those statements in and of themselves cannot be used against him, but that does not stop police using other evidence or statements from other people to charge Blewitt.

From Friday, 23 November to today Monday 26 I have remained in contact with the Detective Sergeant who is responsible for assessing the case against the known offender in the matter I reported on 12 October.

So it is a manifestly false statement on the part of Ms Gillard and her government to say that "no allegation of wrongdoing has been made against the Prime Minister".

I have made such an allegation, the report to police has been accepted and it is being investigated.

Perhaps someone who works in the media and gets paid for it might wake up some time soon to the phenomenon of news being generated other than through a Canberra Press Gallery Media Release.

Then next time Julia Gillard hits the pack with the "there's no allegation" bulltish they might remind her of the serious charges she may face.

ENDS

Now here is my note today to Ray.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Michael Smith
Date: Wed, Jan 23, 2013 at 5:39 PM
Subject: Victoria Police Investigation into persons of interest in a union related fraud
To: [email protected]

Ray,

I understand that you've taken an interest in The AWU Scandal.

On 17 October, 2012, I made by way of email a detailed, written report to Chief Commissioner of Police Ken Lay APM of the prima facie evidence in a matter of the serious indictable offence of creating a false instrument, Section 83A of the Crimes Act, Victoria. I detailed my observations in relation to the evidence, and I named an offender, Julia Eileen GILLARD.

I sent copies of my recorded interview with the person from whom the Power of Attorney was improperly obtained. Before I reported the matter, I offered Ms Gillard the right of reply, given that the accusations against her had been published, She did not answer. I pointed out that I felt that in the absence of any evidence, at all, to the contrary, I was duty bound to report the Serious Indictable Offence to police.

Police wrote to me and advised me that the reported crime had been referred to the Crime Department (detectives) for assessment. I have since liaised closely with police who have done a very good job of keeping me appraised of the progress of their investigations.

You are misleading your listeners when you say that Julia Eileen Gillard is not the subject of a police investigation into a major fraud. I think it's premature to say as you do, that Ms Gillard didn't break the law, and you are simply wrong when you say there's no proof of an illegal act in respect of Ms Gillard.

I attach links to some of the relevant correspondence to support my contention.

Kind regards,

Michael Smith

http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2012/10/my-report-to-the-chief-commissioner-of-police-in-victoria.html

http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2012/10/my-report-to-the-chief-commissioner-of-police-in-victoria-the-response-1.html

PS - You'll find lots more detailed research on my website www.michaelsmithnews.com

DATE	EVENT/DOCUMENT
1990	Julia Gillard becomes a Partner at Slater and Gordon and is in the Industrial Relations Department of law firm
20-08-91	Letter to Bruce Wilson from Julia Gillard concerning a vacancy at the AWU
1-05-91	Julia Gillard brought her property at 36 Phillip Street, Abbotsford Vic property settled in July and she borrowed $40,000 from Slater & Gordon for the deposit and the rest from Westpac bank
6-03-92	Advertisement appeared in the paper for Incorporating the Workplace Reform Association - Theiss may have used it for reference

17-03-92	Locals concerned the Accident and Death Fund was being used to buy property and office equipment with the funds they paid into the fund.
18-03-92	Boulder fund suspended
15-05-92	Bruce Wilson and Julia Gillard go to a meeting with the miners in Kalgoorlie
18-05-92	AWU announce it is taking over the fund at Boulder paper article
13-02-93	Contract of sale signed by Bruce Wilson
13-02-93	Purchase of 85 Kerr Street Fitzroy by Julia Gillard and B Wilson who attended the Auction
13-02-93	blewitt-getting-his-addres.html Purchase of 85 Kerr Street Fitzroy by Julia Gillard and Bruce Wilson who attended the Auction
15-02-93	Letter to Slater & Gordon about the 1/85 Kerr Street sale
15-02-93	Ralph Blewitt is appointed Western Australian Branch Secretary in the week 15 to 19 February
16-02-93	Olive Brosnan and Heidi chasing up the Power of Attorney - notes
17-02-93	Olive Brosnan makes this further note regarding Heidi, a sales person with the Real Estate firm GA Thomson. Note that Heidi returns the call and says that she will let Olive Brosnan have the original Power of Attorney (when she gets it?) and will need a certified copy in return
22-02-93	Slater and Gordon acknowledges that it has received the Contract of Sale, Section 32 Statement and the Power of Attorney from GA Thomson.
23-02-93	Olive Brosnan certifies Power of Attorney
3-03-93	A memo from Sylvia to Olive Brosnan about the application for the loan for Ralph Blewitt and the Kerr Street property
4-03-93	Letter/fax from Hewitt & Company stating Ralph Blewitt Wages Ref VB/CS
9-03-93	Memo to Olive Brosnan from Sylvia about the loan approval and the return of the chq for $500 from Ralph Blewitt’s personal account
10-03-93	Letter from Slater & Gordon addressed to Ralph Blewitt explaining mortgage details Page 1, Page 2, Page 3
10-03-93	Memo Julia Gillard wants details of penalty interest rates
12-03-93	Memo to Julia Gillard from Olive Brosnan about penalty interest rates
17-03-93	Memo of fees for house - Bill of costs
18-03-93	Letter to Ralph Blewitt requesting Cheque for $67,772.30
18-03-93	The cheque for $67,772.30
22-03-93	Settlement date for Kerr Street purchase
23-03-93	Land Transfer document
31-03-94	Dawesville project costs
Aug-Sept 94	Julia Gillard went on holidays while Bruce Wilson organised house renovations
Aug-Sept 94	Interview with Slater & Gordon about the Renovations
6-02-95	New bank accounts for Construction Fund
17-02-95	AWU-FIME amalgamate (2 Victorian Branches)
12-04-95	Cheque from AWU WRAI account $46,550
27-04-95	Cheque for $15000 - $10 000 for K Spyridis and $5000 cash
30-06-95	AWU went back to central funding arrangements
25-07-95	Letter from Robert Smith (AWU) to Ian Cambridge and Steve Harrison about the unknown AWU bank accounts
27-07-95	Letter to the National Executives about the freezing of the accounts
2-08-95	Union National Finance committee meet to discuss what was going on start of investigations into the frozen accounts
4-08-95	Bob Smith wrote to Ian Cambridge to say the AWU was going to charge Bruce Wilson
10-08-95	Ian Cambridge visits QC Richard Kenzie from Maurice Blackburn for discussions to fix it (get union money back)
14-08-95	Internal Review into Julia Gillard’s involvement of the AWU -WRA and she is put on restricted duties
14/15 Aug 95	Other Joint secretaries of the Unions paid out the signatories of the accounts - hand writing on the cheques Link 1 Link 2
16-08-95	Bruce Wilson redundancy cheque $55,204
17-08-95	Letter to stop the cheques Ian Cambridge
17/18 Aug 95	All accounts were closed bar 2 general and grants accounts and redundancies given out
18-08-95	Affidavit - Bill Ludwig - Bruce Wilson get sprung
11-09-95	Julia Gillard interviewed by Geoff Shaw, Peter Gordon and Nick Styant-Browne at Slater and Gordon - It’s recorded and she goes on leave of Absence until May 96 (WA AWU-WRA not yet discovered by AWU yet)
31-01-96	Ian Cambridge addresses AWU Qld Branch meeting
3-04-96	Ian Cambridge talked with Commonwealth Bank - Diary entry - Discovery of Workplace Reform Association INC. WA branch
6-05-96	Discovery of Accounts in AWU name by Ian Cambridge letter from Commonwealth Bank
7-05-96	Fax from Com bank listing the accounts in the AWU name - for Ian Cambridge
1-06-96	Newspaper article about Joe Trio and the AWU fraud article from sometime in 1996
3-06-96	Ian Cambridge received bank records after the discussions with the bank back in April Ian Cambridge spoke to AWU Officials in Perth and they never heard of the Workplace Reform Association Inc.
5-07-96	Diary entry Ian Cambridge - spoke to Branch Official Russell Frearson about the $400,000 going through the account
31-07-96	Geoff Shaw Slater & Gordon General Manager gets Subpoena to supply all documents relating to purchase of 1/85 Kerr Street
13-08-96	Court proceeding where Geoff Shaw is to produce the documents from the Subpeona Link 1, Link 2
6-01-97	Memo from Investigating Detective Dave McAlpine about the AWU fraud
6-02-97	Memo to fraud squad from Theiss stating they hadn’t been defrauded Link 1, Link 2, Link 3, Link 4
17-02-98	Memo fraud squad about Theiss - Ralph Blewitt said Theiss auditors required that the WRA needed to be Inc.

Note to editors/journalists - Julia Gillard is currently facing very serious allegations and Victoria Police are investigating those allegations

Monday, 26 November 2012

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