#DropTheProsecutions
Bernard Collaery
"This could be... one of the most secretive trials in Australian history" - Former NSW Supreme Court Judge
Bernard's Story
Between 1989 - 91, Bernard Collaery was the Deputy Chief Minister and Attorney General of the ACT. As a lawyer, he would go on to represent the victims of the 1997 Thredbo landslide and 2003 Canberra bushfires. In December 2013, ASIO raided the home of Bernard Collaery. His crime? Embarrassing the Government. Collaery was working on a case that threatened to expose how Australian officials had illegally bugged the offices of Timor-Leste's Government during negotiations over the country's underwater petroleum and gas reserves.
Instead of punishing those responsible, the Government is targeting Collaery for exposing their crime. The prosecution is an attack on the rule of law and an abuse of national security powers. If successful, it will set a dangerous precedent for future whistle blowers, and anyone who seeks to hold governments accountable for their actions.
Support Bernard
1. Sign Petition
2. Write a Letter
3. Donate
Play Video
Sign Our Petition
We will print and deliver this petition to the Prime Minister and every member of the Federal Parliament and Senate.
“We the undersigned believe that the prosecution of Bernard Collaery is an abuse of the national security powers we vested in you. This prosecution threatens to undermine the people’s confidence in the use of intelligence and security laws. What he revealed is a source of shame between our nation and Timor Leste. We request that the prosecution be ended.”
Make A Donation
Justice Fund is managed by volunteers and pays for no staff. A benefactor has paid for our overheads and web costs.
All public donations are spent on social media campaigns or on assisting with legal costs. A general donation to Justice Fund will be spent on the Bernard Collaery case and others that are soon to come online.
Donations
Donate Bernard Collaery
Write A Letter
One of the most affective actions you can take is to write a personalised letter or email to your local member of Parliament, asking them to use their power to raise Mr Collaery’s prosecution in the House and with the Attorney General. Pro forma and duplicate emails have little effect now and are generally spammed. Use your own words.
Read Our Letter Guide Below:
Paragraph 1 – Introduce yourself: State that you are a member of the electorate and indicate the connections you have in the community or to them if relevant.
Paragraph 2 – Introduce the issue: Your letter should be as short and to the point as possible. State why you believe the prosecution of Mr Collaery is unjust. Keep these points in mind. You don’t need to use them all.
- The bugging of the Timorese government was a shameful act unbecoming of Australians.
- The prosecution of Mr Collaery undermines our international reputation as an open and fair democracy.
- National security legislation should not be used to punish whistleblowers or people who act with moral integrity deny.
- The public has a right to know what happened in Timor-Leste and to hold our government to account for those actions.
Paragraph 3 – Why this matters to you: We encourage you to personalise your letter in some small way as this will have a greater impact.
Paragraph 4 – What you want them to do: Finish the letter by asking your MP to raise this issue in the House and with the Attorney General at every opportunity.
Paragraph 5: Provide your contact details: Includes your first and last name, phone number, and email address, for any follow-up contact.
An old school letter in the mail is the gold standard communication with an MP. Your local member’s postal address can be found here https://electorate.aec.gov.au/. Emails can be sent from the form in the next column.
Watch The Media
“This act... shows that the government will use anything to pursue Australia’s commercial interests in relations with its neighbours, even if it violates international law” - MKOTT
