1 00:00:05,881 --> 00:00:07,801 Speaker 1: Apoge Production. 2 00:00:14,601 --> 00:00:17,001 Speaker 2: Welcome to Real Crime with Adam Shand. I'm your host 3 00:00:17,081 --> 00:00:20,241 Speaker 2: Adam Shand. In two thousand and three, when I was 4 00:00:20,281 --> 00:00:24,121 Speaker 2: covering Melbourne's Gangland War, I met the former Catholic chaplain 5 00:00:24,121 --> 00:00:27,841 Speaker 2: of Penridge Prison in Melbourne, Father Peter Norden. For more 6 00:00:27,881 --> 00:00:30,961 Speaker 2: than forty years, Father Peter Norden has worked in a 7 00:00:31,041 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 2: variety of roles within the Australian criminal justice system. At 8 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:38,321 Speaker 2: the time, he was burying many of the old school 9 00:00:38,321 --> 00:00:41,881 Speaker 2: crooks who were gunned down in that bloody conflict. Between 10 00:00:42,001 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 2: nineteen ninety eight and twenty ten, thirty six Underworld figures 11 00:00:46,681 --> 00:00:51,561 Speaker 2: were murdered in the so called Melbourne Gangland killings. He 12 00:00:51,641 --> 00:00:54,241 Speaker 2: moved easily in the ranks of those heavy criminals and 13 00:00:54,321 --> 00:00:55,081 Speaker 2: their families. 14 00:00:55,881 --> 00:00:57,001 Speaker 3: This was because he. 15 00:00:57,081 --> 00:01:00,201 Speaker 2: Built up trust in the underworld over decades behind those 16 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:04,001 Speaker 2: bluestone walls of Penridge. He wasn't there to convert them 17 00:01:04,241 --> 00:01:06,761 Speaker 2: or judge them for their crimes, but to be a 18 00:01:06,801 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 2: confidant and source of comfort, particularly to the most vulnerable, 19 00:01:11,161 --> 00:01:15,081 Speaker 2: while also being a voice for reform. Norden was senior 20 00:01:15,161 --> 00:01:18,801 Speaker 2: chaplain at Pentridge and has written extensively on prison reform 21 00:01:19,081 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 2: and human rights. In two thousand and eight, he left 22 00:01:23,241 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 2: the priesthood, but has continued to advocate on behalf of 23 00:01:26,401 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 2: prison inmates across Australia. Father Peter Nordon continues to call 24 00:01:30,961 --> 00:01:35,601 Speaker 2: for sweeping reform of the criminal justice system. I recently 25 00:01:35,601 --> 00:01:39,881 Speaker 2: caught up with Peter for this chat. How did you 26 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:43,241 Speaker 2: become the prison chaplain at patrick. 27 00:01:44,521 --> 00:01:47,841 Speaker 3: Well? I started a training for the priesthood as at a 28 00:01:47,841 --> 00:01:50,641 Speaker 3: very young age, just turned eighteen, and I joined a 29 00:01:50,681 --> 00:01:53,361 Speaker 3: group called the Jesuits, which is part of the Catholic Church, 30 00:01:54,201 --> 00:01:57,441 Speaker 3: and they had a seminary out at Watsonia later became 31 00:01:57,481 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 3: the Prison Officers Training College. But when I was there, 32 00:02:00,921 --> 00:02:04,441 Speaker 3: I came across a young fellow called Gary whose fiftieth 33 00:02:04,441 --> 00:02:06,921 Speaker 3: wedding nun of her I went to recently, and he'd 34 00:02:06,921 --> 00:02:09,441 Speaker 3: stolen a car and I asked the person in charge 35 00:02:09,441 --> 00:02:11,081 Speaker 3: of our training could go and visit him at a 36 00:02:11,161 --> 00:02:14,401 Speaker 3: place called Tarana in Parkwell. The boy was there on 37 00:02:14,721 --> 00:02:17,561 Speaker 3: he got six months for car theft or something, so 38 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:20,481 Speaker 3: that was how I initially made contact. I was only 39 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:23,241 Speaker 3: eighteen and I was in my first year of training 40 00:02:23,281 --> 00:02:25,841 Speaker 3: and it was a fairly isolated place. You weren't allowed 41 00:02:25,881 --> 00:02:28,361 Speaker 3: to go out visiting people much, but I was allowed 42 00:02:28,361 --> 00:02:30,921 Speaker 3: to do that. And then that summer, or was it 43 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:33,041 Speaker 3: the next summer, I did a four week placement with 44 00:02:33,121 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 3: the chaplain who was there, who was a wonderful guy 45 00:02:35,881 --> 00:02:39,241 Speaker 3: called Kevin Mogg should have been archbishop instead of George 46 00:02:39,281 --> 00:02:41,601 Speaker 3: Pell would have made a much better job of. 47 00:02:41,561 --> 00:02:44,281 Speaker 1: It, and that's on the podcast. 48 00:02:45,601 --> 00:02:49,041 Speaker 3: Anyhow, So I started some work there and then as 49 00:02:49,081 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 3: a training Jesuit, normally you'd have a break. It's a 50 00:02:51,601 --> 00:02:55,481 Speaker 3: fifteen year training period, longer than a brain surgeon, and 51 00:02:55,721 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 3: halfway through you'd do kind of an internship and normally 52 00:02:59,281 --> 00:03:02,721 Speaker 3: you'd go and teach him one of these prestigious Jesuit schools. Well, 53 00:03:02,761 --> 00:03:06,240 Speaker 3: i'd done social work at Melbourne UNI and the schools 54 00:03:06,281 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 3: weren't quite very creative about how they could use a 55 00:03:09,441 --> 00:03:12,081 Speaker 3: trainee Jesuit as a social worker in a school, little 56 00:03:12,161 --> 00:03:15,041 Speaker 3: did they know. So instead I came up with this 57 00:03:15,121 --> 00:03:17,921 Speaker 3: proposal to open a halfway house for young men at 58 00:03:17,921 --> 00:03:20,921 Speaker 3: that time, later men and women seventeen to twenty one 59 00:03:21,121 --> 00:03:24,121 Speaker 3: year olds who were repeat offenders, and we set that 60 00:03:24,201 --> 00:03:27,321 Speaker 3: up in Power Street, Hawthorne, and that became late the 61 00:03:27,321 --> 00:03:31,641 Speaker 3: Brosenham Center, which then grew into Jesuit Social services. But 62 00:03:31,721 --> 00:03:34,081 Speaker 3: that was the beginning. It was meeting a young fellow 63 00:03:34,201 --> 00:03:36,961 Speaker 3: who had stolen a car, who lived near Bungo Street 64 00:03:37,001 --> 00:03:42,481 Speaker 3: in Watsonia, and I started visiting him and then brothers 65 00:03:42,521 --> 00:03:44,161 Speaker 3: didn't take much notice because he had a lot of 66 00:03:44,201 --> 00:03:47,201 Speaker 3: people come in and sniff around the prison. But after 67 00:03:47,241 --> 00:03:49,521 Speaker 3: a few years, when I was running this halfway house, 68 00:03:49,561 --> 00:03:53,201 Speaker 3: we had a murder and the murder was the mother 69 00:03:53,321 --> 00:03:56,801 Speaker 3: of Robin Cooper, who at that time late he was 70 00:03:56,841 --> 00:04:00,001 Speaker 3: a qure counselor and an old Saverian. He and his 71 00:04:00,081 --> 00:04:03,281 Speaker 3: brother were aligned at the Liberal Party and he became 72 00:04:03,321 --> 00:04:05,721 Speaker 3: a member of Parliament and if Jeff if Kennet had 73 00:04:05,721 --> 00:04:09,081 Speaker 3: have won his last election, Robin Cooper would have been 74 00:04:09,161 --> 00:04:12,121 Speaker 3: the Minister for Prisons and Police. But it was a 75 00:04:12,281 --> 00:04:16,281 Speaker 3: shocking tragedy which I don't want to discuss in detail here. 76 00:04:17,041 --> 00:04:19,561 Speaker 3: But after that happened, Broz sort of took a bit 77 00:04:19,561 --> 00:04:21,801 Speaker 3: of notice because he saw me on the Willasey program 78 00:04:21,801 --> 00:04:24,601 Speaker 3: wellasy at seven, and he thought I had a bit 79 00:04:24,641 --> 00:04:28,241 Speaker 3: of dash, I think, and decided that I might be 80 00:04:28,361 --> 00:04:30,561 Speaker 3: someone who could come and work with him as he 81 00:04:30,601 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 3: moved towards retirement. 82 00:04:31,801 --> 00:04:34,841 Speaker 2: Several years later, Father Broslin is one of the great 83 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:36,481 Speaker 2: figures of Victorian society. 84 00:04:37,041 --> 00:04:39,681 Speaker 1: He needs it with the background. Who was he? What 85 00:04:39,761 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 1: was his mission? 86 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:44,081 Speaker 3: Well, he was a diocesan priest working for the bishop. 87 00:04:44,401 --> 00:04:47,841 Speaker 3: He'd been a chaplain down at the orphanages in geelongs 88 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 3: and St Augustus. He later worked at the inner city 89 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:53,361 Speaker 3: parish of Saint Joseph in Collingwood and Saint John's in 90 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:57,561 Speaker 3: East Melbourne, and he was asked to become the first 91 00:04:57,601 --> 00:05:01,280 Speaker 3: full time Catholic chaplain of Pentridge in nineteen fifty six 92 00:05:02,081 --> 00:05:05,721 Speaker 3: and he stayed there for thirty years. He was there, 93 00:05:05,841 --> 00:05:08,361 Speaker 3: of course from fifty six. He was there during the 94 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:12,320 Speaker 3: Ronald Ryan trial and hanging and he was one of 95 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:15,121 Speaker 3: the key people along with Barry Jones and Brian Dixon, 96 00:05:16,041 --> 00:05:20,601 Speaker 3: the Liberal member of Parliament who opposed the execution against 97 00:05:20,801 --> 00:05:24,841 Speaker 3: Henry Bolty. Anyhow, Ryan was eventually executed, Broslon and the 98 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:27,521 Speaker 3: chaplain had to stand at the bottom of the gallows 99 00:05:27,681 --> 00:05:31,841 Speaker 3: and before my last rites. But he became probably the 100 00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:35,121 Speaker 3: best known priests in Australia before Bob Maguire. Father Bob 101 00:05:35,161 --> 00:05:37,921 Speaker 3: came along and he was the first Catholic priest in 102 00:05:37,921 --> 00:05:41,961 Speaker 3: Australia to get a state funeral, which happened perhaps twenty 103 00:05:42,001 --> 00:05:43,481 Speaker 3: years ago. In our twenty five years ago, I. 104 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:48,720 Speaker 2: Remember interviewing Father Brosnan when Baldy died, and his anger 105 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:51,721 Speaker 2: towards Baldy had never did Yeah. 106 00:05:51,961 --> 00:05:54,041 Speaker 1: I think he might have said what Thursday, bastard, but 107 00:05:54,121 --> 00:05:54,720 Speaker 1: I can't remember. 108 00:05:54,921 --> 00:05:55,761 Speaker 3: He wouldn't have said done. 109 00:05:55,921 --> 00:05:57,081 Speaker 1: Is that something in those terms? 110 00:05:57,961 --> 00:05:59,281 Speaker 3: Someone said to him, what are you going to do 111 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:02,161 Speaker 3: when you retire, Father Broston? He said, oh, I think 112 00:06:02,161 --> 00:06:05,561 Speaker 3: there's a nice quiet parish in Western Victor Victory and 113 00:06:05,641 --> 00:06:07,681 Speaker 3: it was where Baldi had his farm, and he said, 114 00:06:07,721 --> 00:06:10,241 Speaker 3: I thought I might just become a nice quiet parish 115 00:06:10,281 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 3: priest over in Western District. And of course it was 116 00:06:13,361 --> 00:06:15,441 Speaker 3: Baldy's place, and the last thing Baldi won it was 117 00:06:15,481 --> 00:06:18,681 Speaker 3: for Brosman to be appointed the local priests there. When 118 00:06:18,801 --> 00:06:20,841 Speaker 3: bros retired at the age of seventy five. 119 00:06:22,001 --> 00:06:24,881 Speaker 2: I think a lot of people would be unclear about 120 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:27,161 Speaker 2: what a chaplain actually does in the prison. 121 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:28,121 Speaker 1: What is the role? 122 00:06:28,561 --> 00:06:32,641 Speaker 3: Well, when I was working as a chaplain, sometimes you'd 123 00:06:32,841 --> 00:06:35,001 Speaker 3: have to speak to year twelves at some school or 124 00:06:35,081 --> 00:06:38,200 Speaker 3: rather and they'd say, father Peter did it. Prisoners talked 125 00:06:38,201 --> 00:06:41,561 Speaker 3: to you much. I'd have to try to explain to 126 00:06:41,601 --> 00:06:44,481 Speaker 3: them what actually the dynamic was because in the prison 127 00:06:45,281 --> 00:06:49,481 Speaker 3: no one trusted each other. The crims didn't trust the screws, 128 00:06:50,521 --> 00:06:53,081 Speaker 3: and the crims after the drugs hit the place, at least, 129 00:06:53,081 --> 00:06:56,281 Speaker 3: didn't trust each other. Previously, there were settled networks that 130 00:06:56,361 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 3: were predictable and added a degree of stability to the 131 00:06:59,081 --> 00:07:02,841 Speaker 3: prison environment. But once the serious drugs hit the prison, 132 00:07:03,681 --> 00:07:07,161 Speaker 3: the prisoners didn't even trust each other. So the chaplain 133 00:07:07,201 --> 00:07:09,361 Speaker 3: was about the only person in the place you could trust. 134 00:07:10,241 --> 00:07:13,321 Speaker 3: My approach there was an Anglican, a Salvony, an arting church, 135 00:07:13,361 --> 00:07:15,481 Speaker 3: and my approach was I was there for the crims 136 00:07:15,881 --> 00:07:18,281 Speaker 3: and other chaplains, so we're here for everyone. They're all 137 00:07:18,281 --> 00:07:22,121 Speaker 3: God's children. And I'm saying the staff live in homes, 138 00:07:22,361 --> 00:07:26,801 Speaker 3: they've got access to chaplains. It's an adversary situation. It's 139 00:07:27,801 --> 00:07:32,081 Speaker 3: the green uniforms versus the blue, and I'm here for 140 00:07:32,161 --> 00:07:34,881 Speaker 3: the people who are in the green. Of course I'll 141 00:07:34,921 --> 00:07:38,041 Speaker 3: be polite and respectful to the staff, otherwise you get 142 00:07:38,041 --> 00:07:41,841 Speaker 3: no cooperation at all. But my priority is for the 143 00:07:41,881 --> 00:07:44,201 Speaker 3: people in green and not for the gangsters. I didn't 144 00:07:44,201 --> 00:07:46,481 Speaker 3: say this publicly, But I was there for the people 145 00:07:46,521 --> 00:07:49,161 Speaker 3: who were the most vulnerable in the prison, and that 146 00:07:49,321 --> 00:07:53,561 Speaker 3: meant the young, the disabled, those with mental illness. They 147 00:07:53,601 --> 00:07:56,041 Speaker 3: were very vulnerable in the prison. But to be effective 148 00:07:56,081 --> 00:07:58,961 Speaker 3: with them, you had to make it with the top 149 00:07:59,001 --> 00:08:02,001 Speaker 3: tier of the prison pecking order. So it meant you 150 00:08:02,041 --> 00:08:06,481 Speaker 3: had to engage the gangsters to get ability and profile 151 00:08:06,761 --> 00:08:09,841 Speaker 3: and status. I didn't want it for its own sake, 152 00:08:09,961 --> 00:08:12,561 Speaker 3: so that I could move more easily within the prison 153 00:08:12,641 --> 00:08:16,041 Speaker 3: and engage those who are the greatest need and most vulnerable. 154 00:08:16,521 --> 00:08:18,681 Speaker 2: And who were the leading gangsters. And this is like 155 00:08:18,841 --> 00:08:20,561 Speaker 2: nineteen seventy six, I believe. 156 00:08:20,281 --> 00:08:22,681 Speaker 3: Isn't it right? Ah? Yes, but I don't want to 157 00:08:22,721 --> 00:08:25,401 Speaker 3: be highlighting names. We can talk about that as much 158 00:08:25,401 --> 00:08:28,801 Speaker 3: as I did. I mean, probably most of them. I 159 00:08:28,921 --> 00:08:31,401 Speaker 3: used to say, you know, father Peter, he's running with 160 00:08:31,441 --> 00:08:33,921 Speaker 3: this mobel, he's running with the Richmond Moby, he's running 161 00:08:33,921 --> 00:08:36,241 Speaker 3: with the Carlton crew, or he's running with the crew 162 00:08:36,321 --> 00:08:40,121 Speaker 3: of the Western Soburbs. I wasn't with anyone, so but 163 00:08:40,201 --> 00:08:43,681 Speaker 3: you had to kind of get engaged with them in 164 00:08:43,801 --> 00:08:47,681 Speaker 3: order to have credibility. I suppose it's a street credibility, 165 00:08:47,761 --> 00:08:50,241 Speaker 3: and you know, I come from a middle class background, 166 00:08:50,281 --> 00:08:53,401 Speaker 3: although you know our family never owned its own home, 167 00:08:53,481 --> 00:08:57,241 Speaker 3: et cetera. But I knew I had to learn the lingo. 168 00:08:57,681 --> 00:09:00,001 Speaker 3: You learn how to walk, you learn how to talk 169 00:09:00,041 --> 00:09:02,561 Speaker 3: in the prison in such a way that you're credible. 170 00:09:02,641 --> 00:09:05,681 Speaker 3: Not some tough from outside the crims would say, father, 171 00:09:05,761 --> 00:09:07,441 Speaker 3: But you know you come in here at eight in 172 00:09:07,441 --> 00:09:09,801 Speaker 3: the morning, you leave it four o'clock at night. You 173 00:09:09,841 --> 00:09:11,601 Speaker 3: don't really know what prison it's like. You know we 174 00:09:11,681 --> 00:09:12,921 Speaker 3: have to live here, and I say, I know that, 175 00:09:13,481 --> 00:09:15,881 Speaker 3: but I am You know, I've been doing this for 176 00:09:16,361 --> 00:09:18,441 Speaker 3: quite a long period of time now, on and off 177 00:09:18,441 --> 00:09:21,641 Speaker 3: in different roles, about twenty years. But it's true. If 178 00:09:21,681 --> 00:09:24,121 Speaker 3: you don't live in the prison, you don't understand the 179 00:09:24,161 --> 00:09:28,441 Speaker 3: insecurities of being a convicted or even a reminded person. 180 00:09:29,121 --> 00:09:30,001 Speaker 3: It's not the same. 181 00:09:30,721 --> 00:09:34,401 Speaker 2: Seeing you again after quite a few years, I suddenly 182 00:09:34,441 --> 00:09:39,441 Speaker 2: recall your motive, active listening, the empathetic listening, the way 183 00:09:39,481 --> 00:09:42,481 Speaker 2: you engage with your eyes and things. I'd amaze that 184 00:09:42,481 --> 00:09:45,001 Speaker 2: would have been critical back then. Yes, we would have 185 00:09:45,081 --> 00:09:45,761 Speaker 2: learned those skills. 186 00:09:45,761 --> 00:09:47,881 Speaker 3: In there. You learn, but you learn not to be 187 00:09:47,961 --> 00:09:50,561 Speaker 3: too confronting, like with a seventeen to eighteen year old 188 00:09:50,601 --> 00:09:52,961 Speaker 3: who comes into the prison shit scared. You don't want 189 00:09:52,961 --> 00:09:57,121 Speaker 3: to be doing too much eyeballing because it's threatening, and 190 00:09:57,161 --> 00:09:59,801 Speaker 3: you don't ask too many questions. You talk a little 191 00:09:59,841 --> 00:10:03,281 Speaker 3: bit and know that he or she's assessing you from 192 00:10:03,281 --> 00:10:06,281 Speaker 3: those first couple of minutes. It's a bit like I 193 00:10:06,401 --> 00:10:09,641 Speaker 3: do weddings. You know, if you say something stupid in 194 00:10:09,681 --> 00:10:12,081 Speaker 3: the first minute or two, you've lost the whole gathering. 195 00:10:12,921 --> 00:10:15,561 Speaker 3: So it's really important, say, in doing a wedding, that 196 00:10:15,801 --> 00:10:17,721 Speaker 3: I have the couple, like greet them and say a 197 00:10:17,721 --> 00:10:19,801 Speaker 3: few little nice words, and I tell the couple I said, 198 00:10:19,801 --> 00:10:22,681 Speaker 3: everyone's looking at me wondering who this guy is and 199 00:10:22,881 --> 00:10:24,201 Speaker 3: is he going to make a mess of it or not? 200 00:10:24,881 --> 00:10:28,561 Speaker 3: And within twenty seconds thirty seconds, if you look friendly 201 00:10:28,641 --> 00:10:31,361 Speaker 3: and you're smiling and happy, you've won half of them 202 00:10:31,401 --> 00:10:34,041 Speaker 3: already within a minute. You've got to. 203 00:10:34,041 --> 00:10:35,401 Speaker 1: Judge the room and how you approach it. 204 00:10:35,441 --> 00:10:37,241 Speaker 2: But I think that I guess my point is that 205 00:10:37,321 --> 00:10:39,801 Speaker 2: you would get a quick read of the person you're 206 00:10:39,841 --> 00:10:43,441 Speaker 2: dealing with, how much familiarity, what level of spirituality, you 207 00:10:43,481 --> 00:10:45,161 Speaker 2: could engage with the sorts of things and try to 208 00:10:45,161 --> 00:10:45,801 Speaker 2: find their need. 209 00:10:45,961 --> 00:10:48,681 Speaker 3: Yeah, but it wasn't about religion. I mean, you know, 210 00:10:48,721 --> 00:10:52,961 Speaker 3: it's about engagement first, and religious needs came two or 211 00:10:52,961 --> 00:10:56,081 Speaker 3: three or four steps down the line. So I was 212 00:10:56,121 --> 00:10:59,521 Speaker 3: there as a religious chaplain, but I was there for 213 00:10:59,561 --> 00:11:02,881 Speaker 3: the whole person. You know everything about that person. So 214 00:11:03,001 --> 00:11:07,241 Speaker 3: in the prison I would be down go to education. 215 00:11:07,681 --> 00:11:09,921 Speaker 3: I spent a lot of time in remand, but I 216 00:11:10,001 --> 00:11:12,281 Speaker 3: go to industries. If there was a football game on 217 00:11:12,441 --> 00:11:15,881 Speaker 3: or an athletic carnival, I'd be there. So you're involved 218 00:11:16,001 --> 00:11:19,041 Speaker 3: in the whole world of the prison. And that's the 219 00:11:19,081 --> 00:11:21,761 Speaker 3: same as what used to happen at least as a priest. 220 00:11:22,401 --> 00:11:24,601 Speaker 3: That the priest wasn't there just at the weddings and 221 00:11:24,641 --> 00:11:29,401 Speaker 3: funerals and masses, but he or sheena would be visiting homes, 222 00:11:29,481 --> 00:11:32,361 Speaker 3: would be at the shopping center, be at the local football. 223 00:11:32,881 --> 00:11:36,201 Speaker 3: It was a total involvement. So for these young people 224 00:11:36,241 --> 00:11:38,561 Speaker 3: who said did they talk to you much, you didn't 225 00:11:38,641 --> 00:11:41,401 Speaker 3: have any understanding of what it would be like. And 226 00:11:41,481 --> 00:11:43,601 Speaker 3: in fact, if you played the game right, you were 227 00:11:43,641 --> 00:11:46,361 Speaker 3: the most sought after people in the prison, And particularly 228 00:11:46,441 --> 00:11:50,921 Speaker 3: if you showed yourself to be courageous, you know, by 229 00:11:51,961 --> 00:11:56,921 Speaker 3: being prepared to name injustice when it occurred, and access 230 00:11:56,961 --> 00:11:59,881 Speaker 3: to the media. You then became in some ways the 231 00:11:59,921 --> 00:12:02,961 Speaker 3: most powerful person in the institution because you had access 232 00:12:02,961 --> 00:12:05,641 Speaker 3: to the media no one else did, and he had 233 00:12:05,681 --> 00:12:08,561 Speaker 3: access to the not just the local prison officer. If 234 00:12:08,601 --> 00:12:10,161 Speaker 3: they said I'm not happy you were doing that, and 235 00:12:10,241 --> 00:12:12,281 Speaker 3: I'd say, we'll speak to the governor, or speak to 236 00:12:12,321 --> 00:12:15,121 Speaker 3: the Director of Prisons, or speak to the minister. But 237 00:12:15,241 --> 00:12:18,441 Speaker 3: in fact I'm accountable to a higher authority, and I 238 00:12:18,441 --> 00:12:22,761 Speaker 3: don't mean the archbishop. So you take the wind out 239 00:12:22,761 --> 00:12:24,641 Speaker 3: of their sales when they thought they were going to 240 00:12:24,881 --> 00:12:28,201 Speaker 3: sit on you for going over time at a service 241 00:12:28,241 --> 00:12:30,441 Speaker 3: for five minutes or something like that. You know, petty 242 00:12:30,521 --> 00:12:34,001 Speaker 3: things they'd pick you up for. But access to the media. 243 00:12:34,081 --> 00:12:37,441 Speaker 3: The very first day that I was appointed, Tom Pryor 244 00:12:37,561 --> 00:12:41,001 Speaker 3: was a famous Herald's Son crime reporter and he was 245 00:12:41,041 --> 00:12:43,481 Speaker 3: a great mate. He wrote the book On a Knock 246 00:12:43,481 --> 00:12:46,761 Speaker 3: about Priest John Brosnan. He interviewed me at the front 247 00:12:46,801 --> 00:12:50,601 Speaker 3: of the prison with a photographer and he said, Farlo Peter, 248 00:12:50,681 --> 00:12:52,401 Speaker 3: what do you think of the prison system? And I thought, 249 00:12:52,401 --> 00:12:55,721 Speaker 3: here's the chance. First day, Well, it's an old system 250 00:12:56,281 --> 00:12:59,281 Speaker 3: built on what wasn't working in England for the last 251 00:12:59,281 --> 00:13:01,601 Speaker 3: two or three hundred years and here we are still 252 00:13:02,001 --> 00:13:06,841 Speaker 3: replicating the model. It's more school of crime than doing 253 00:13:06,881 --> 00:13:10,281 Speaker 3: anything other than warehousing people at great expense to the community. 254 00:13:10,281 --> 00:13:13,241 Speaker 3: Well bang, That gets on page three of the Herald's son. 255 00:13:13,641 --> 00:13:17,401 Speaker 3: So from the very first day, I established my license, 256 00:13:17,481 --> 00:13:22,681 Speaker 3: my freedom, my capacity to actually have freedom of speech, 257 00:13:22,721 --> 00:13:25,081 Speaker 3: even though officially I was a public servant and shouldn't 258 00:13:25,121 --> 00:13:25,641 Speaker 3: have been talking. 259 00:13:26,441 --> 00:13:29,161 Speaker 2: And you were there in the wake of the Jenkinson Inquiry, 260 00:13:29,241 --> 00:13:32,761 Speaker 2: which had been purported to look at violence and treatment 261 00:13:32,761 --> 00:13:35,841 Speaker 2: of prisoners and so forth, and it was widely regarded 262 00:13:35,841 --> 00:13:39,801 Speaker 2: by prisoners as a whitewash. A lot of these practices continued. 263 00:13:40,481 --> 00:13:46,641 Speaker 2: It was a grim place, Gothic old battle castle. 264 00:13:46,201 --> 00:13:49,281 Speaker 1: There in Coburg. What were your impressions of it back 265 00:13:49,321 --> 00:13:51,361 Speaker 1: then and how brutal was it. 266 00:13:52,801 --> 00:13:55,961 Speaker 3: I've been rereading the evidence brought before Jenkinson over the 267 00:13:56,001 --> 00:14:00,161 Speaker 3: last six months and some of his conclusions, but it 268 00:14:00,201 --> 00:14:02,761 Speaker 3: was a big disappointment. He was a Catholic judge. I 269 00:14:02,801 --> 00:14:05,001 Speaker 3: think his son for a while joined the Jesuits tree 270 00:14:05,321 --> 00:14:08,681 Speaker 3: or two. But I was very disappointed that it went nowhere. 271 00:14:08,881 --> 00:14:12,361 Speaker 3: It's very hard to have independent witnesses, but it went 272 00:14:12,401 --> 00:14:16,681 Speaker 3: for several months, but it's a closed institution. I used 273 00:14:16,681 --> 00:14:19,441 Speaker 3: to have a saying that the prison walls serve a 274 00:14:19,521 --> 00:14:22,641 Speaker 3: dual purpose. They stopped prisoners for escaping, but I also 275 00:14:22,841 --> 00:14:25,681 Speaker 3: keep the community outside and ignorant of what goes on 276 00:14:25,761 --> 00:14:30,361 Speaker 3: behind those walls. So you did have visiting magistrates, and 277 00:14:30,401 --> 00:14:34,001 Speaker 3: you had a visiting doctor. But in many ways those 278 00:14:34,041 --> 00:14:38,361 Speaker 3: people who were visiting magistrates and even the resident doctor 279 00:14:38,561 --> 00:14:42,601 Speaker 3: could be very easily compromised by going along with a 280 00:14:42,641 --> 00:14:46,521 Speaker 3: system of oppression and rather than speaking as a proper professional. 281 00:14:46,921 --> 00:14:51,001 Speaker 3: If you're a visiting magistrate, individuals should have freedom of 282 00:14:51,041 --> 00:14:54,881 Speaker 3: speech without having three or four prison officers there prepare 283 00:14:54,921 --> 00:14:57,001 Speaker 3: you and tell you that this blokes are no hope, 284 00:14:57,081 --> 00:15:00,041 Speaker 3: and he wouldn't know what he was talking about. And 285 00:15:00,121 --> 00:15:02,601 Speaker 3: the same with the doctors. There was a guy there once. 286 00:15:02,841 --> 00:15:05,241 Speaker 3: His arm was just about falling off. He had a 287 00:15:05,281 --> 00:15:08,001 Speaker 3: bad bone injury in his shoulder up her arm and 288 00:15:08,161 --> 00:15:11,041 Speaker 3: you could tell it was just fading away. And I 289 00:15:11,081 --> 00:15:15,041 Speaker 3: went to the local governor and directed nothing happen. He'd 290 00:15:15,081 --> 00:15:17,201 Speaker 3: been waiting for twelve months to go to Saint Vincent's. 291 00:15:18,001 --> 00:15:20,241 Speaker 3: So I rang up Brendan Dooley, who was the top 292 00:15:20,361 --> 00:15:25,081 Speaker 3: bone specialist in Australia doctor Brendan Dooley, and Brendan Dooley 293 00:15:25,521 --> 00:15:27,801 Speaker 3: got them to ring the prison and he was in 294 00:15:27,881 --> 00:15:30,601 Speaker 3: Saint Vincent's Hospital for a surgery to his arm within 295 00:15:30,641 --> 00:15:33,561 Speaker 3: twenty four hours. Now, this guy had been waiting for 296 00:15:33,561 --> 00:15:36,401 Speaker 3: a year and literally his arm was falling off, it 297 00:15:36,521 --> 00:15:40,041 Speaker 3: was fading away. But instead within twenty four hours, forty 298 00:15:40,081 --> 00:15:42,281 Speaker 3: eight hours, he was in Saint Vincent's and he had 299 00:15:42,281 --> 00:15:46,561 Speaker 3: a reconstruction on his arm that saved his arm. That's 300 00:15:46,601 --> 00:15:49,521 Speaker 3: an example. I don't mean that's a big note, but 301 00:15:50,641 --> 00:15:54,041 Speaker 3: that's what an ombudsman, or what a visiting magistrate or 302 00:15:54,041 --> 00:15:55,681 Speaker 3: a visiting doctor should be doing. 303 00:15:56,401 --> 00:15:58,801 Speaker 1: At the same time, the society was steeped in the 304 00:15:58,881 --> 00:16:02,161 Speaker 1: idea that jails should be. 305 00:16:03,241 --> 00:16:07,841 Speaker 2: Punishing and brutal, and that was the whole Bentham approach 306 00:16:08,641 --> 00:16:11,241 Speaker 2: to incarceration. If you could make it hard, make it harder, 307 00:16:11,401 --> 00:16:13,281 Speaker 2: if you could make the food poor, make it poorer. 308 00:16:13,441 --> 00:16:16,041 Speaker 2: These people were here to be punished. Yeah, and so 309 00:16:16,121 --> 00:16:18,601 Speaker 2: the community was quite happy to go. 310 00:16:18,561 --> 00:16:19,961 Speaker 1: Along with all this. So you were a voice in 311 00:16:20,001 --> 00:16:21,521 Speaker 1: the wilderness in a way. People like you. 312 00:16:22,121 --> 00:16:24,761 Speaker 3: Well, that was the old Christian moral. You know that 313 00:16:24,841 --> 00:16:28,001 Speaker 3: you've made a bad decision, and you'd be punished for it, 314 00:16:28,041 --> 00:16:31,521 Speaker 3: as if people were all living off a level playing field. 315 00:16:32,201 --> 00:16:35,121 Speaker 3: But most people who commit serious crime, except for the 316 00:16:35,161 --> 00:16:38,881 Speaker 3: five or ten percent of professional crooks, they don't think 317 00:16:38,921 --> 00:16:42,921 Speaker 3: about their actions. They're either influenced by drugs or alcohol, 318 00:16:43,841 --> 00:16:47,001 Speaker 3: or by some form of mental illness, who've got very 319 00:16:47,481 --> 00:16:51,801 Speaker 3: low front lobal development if they're a teenager, they don't 320 00:16:51,801 --> 00:16:55,801 Speaker 3: think of the consequences. And so most murders that are committed, 321 00:16:55,881 --> 00:17:00,161 Speaker 3: half of which are domestic, are committed without thought, without planning. 322 00:17:00,241 --> 00:17:02,281 Speaker 3: I mean some of them, as we've seen recently with 323 00:17:02,521 --> 00:17:06,601 Speaker 3: mushroom killings and so on, allegedly were very carefully planned. 324 00:17:07,201 --> 00:17:11,801 Speaker 3: But most serious crimes is not thought about. And so 325 00:17:11,961 --> 00:17:15,121 Speaker 3: that idea that to treat people badly so that they 326 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:19,041 Speaker 3: will repent and change the way of their lives. When 327 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:23,881 Speaker 3: the key issues, particularly today is access to stable housing, 328 00:17:24,041 --> 00:17:29,480 Speaker 3: access to legitimate employment, and health services. So now the 329 00:17:29,521 --> 00:17:34,001 Speaker 3: prisons are crowded, with almost half the prison population of 330 00:17:34,001 --> 00:17:37,321 Speaker 3: people with a significant disability. It's more than five times 331 00:17:37,360 --> 00:17:41,041 Speaker 3: the rate of the general community. So these people, maybe 332 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:43,840 Speaker 3: some might have committed serious crimes, but most wouldn't, so 333 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:45,840 Speaker 3: they're not given a prison sentence to start with, they're 334 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:48,840 Speaker 3: given it what's called a community based order, but because 335 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:51,880 Speaker 3: they've got a disability, whether it intellectual or mental health 336 00:17:51,961 --> 00:17:55,681 Speaker 3: or whatever, they breach that order. And so the magistrate 337 00:17:56,041 --> 00:17:58,440 Speaker 3: or possibly the judge who gave them a community based 338 00:17:58,561 --> 00:18:02,281 Speaker 3: order never intended them to go to the prison maximum 339 00:18:02,321 --> 00:18:05,721 Speaker 3: security prison, but more than half of them breached. People 340 00:18:05,721 --> 00:18:09,440 Speaker 3: with disability breach those community alternatives and they end up 341 00:18:09,441 --> 00:18:11,761 Speaker 3: in the neck for a crime that didn't deserve a 342 00:18:11,801 --> 00:18:15,721 Speaker 3: prison sentence. So there's been this huge net widening now 343 00:18:15,761 --> 00:18:19,880 Speaker 3: that we're having all this remand bail reforms. When I 344 00:18:20,001 --> 00:18:22,360 Speaker 3: was working in the prison, twenty five to thirty percent 345 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:25,121 Speaker 3: of the prison population were on remand and they were 346 00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:29,160 Speaker 3: people mostly who committed serious crimes. Now it's fifty percent 347 00:18:29,201 --> 00:18:32,440 Speaker 3: across Australia people of the whole prison population. Fifty percent 348 00:18:32,481 --> 00:18:36,441 Speaker 3: of people charged but are not given bail because if 349 00:18:36,441 --> 00:18:39,680 Speaker 3: they've committed a very very serious crime, everyone understands the reason. 350 00:18:40,120 --> 00:18:42,920 Speaker 3: But if that person's homeless or if they've got a 351 00:18:42,961 --> 00:18:46,281 Speaker 3: significant disability, the police are going to oppose that bail 352 00:18:46,281 --> 00:18:48,281 Speaker 3: because there's no way that person's going to turn up 353 00:18:48,321 --> 00:18:51,441 Speaker 3: in court otherwise. So now you've got fifty to fifty 354 00:18:51,481 --> 00:18:55,921 Speaker 3: people on remand. Now we're not talking about the serious offends. 355 00:18:55,961 --> 00:19:00,521 Speaker 3: We're talking about those who have got disability and they're 356 00:19:00,561 --> 00:19:03,400 Speaker 3: filling up fifty percent of our prison population. It's the 357 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:06,521 Speaker 3: biggest challenge that this state government has at the moment. 358 00:19:06,521 --> 00:19:09,160 Speaker 3: They've got empty prisons because they've got no staff to 359 00:19:09,321 --> 00:19:12,761 Speaker 3: employ people. There's about two thousand empty cells in the 360 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:15,880 Speaker 3: Victoria at the moment, but there's no one to actually 361 00:19:15,921 --> 00:19:18,881 Speaker 3: staff the prison. Who've got to train the people and 362 00:19:18,921 --> 00:19:21,801 Speaker 3: that's the biggest concern. I had a meeting with the 363 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:25,201 Speaker 3: Secretary of the department only two weeks ago, Apartment of Justice, 364 00:19:25,201 --> 00:19:27,880 Speaker 3: and that's her biggest challenge at the moment. What are 365 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:29,400 Speaker 3: we going to do with all these people who are 366 00:19:29,441 --> 00:19:31,481 Speaker 3: going to end up on remand and it's just going 367 00:19:31,521 --> 00:19:32,441 Speaker 3: to overflow. 368 00:19:35,201 --> 00:19:39,561 Speaker 1: In your era, you saw this failed experiment. 369 00:19:40,561 --> 00:19:43,001 Speaker 2: Well, Age Division was long there on before you got there, 370 00:19:43,041 --> 00:19:45,001 Speaker 2: and you had Jaikie Jock I was. 371 00:19:44,921 --> 00:19:47,120 Speaker 3: In Haste Division two days a week. 372 00:19:47,201 --> 00:19:50,440 Speaker 2: You were, and what we saw from h Division was 373 00:19:50,481 --> 00:19:54,400 Speaker 2: people going there for disciplinary offenses while they're in jail 374 00:19:54,481 --> 00:19:59,281 Speaker 2: for often minor pup offenses. And after the Age Division experience, 375 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:02,241 Speaker 2: they came out as very resentful. 376 00:20:02,001 --> 00:20:04,641 Speaker 1: Very nasty, and huge problems to the community. 377 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:08,521 Speaker 2: People like Stanley Taylor, mister Adel Flannery, people like that, 378 00:20:09,521 --> 00:20:11,521 Speaker 2: What did you see in the way that they were 379 00:20:11,561 --> 00:20:15,761 Speaker 2: treated that was turning a bicycle thief into a murderer. 380 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:19,680 Speaker 3: That was Brosnan's quote. He actually said that publicly many times, 381 00:20:19,721 --> 00:20:22,321 Speaker 3: that he saw the brutality of H Division turned by 382 00:20:22,441 --> 00:20:24,640 Speaker 3: thieves into murderers and rapists. 383 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:27,121 Speaker 1: I'm glad to Robertson quite. 384 00:20:27,921 --> 00:20:31,360 Speaker 3: Eminence, but look, it still happened. When I used to 385 00:20:31,441 --> 00:20:34,801 Speaker 3: go to H Division every Wednesday morning, and that was predictable. 386 00:20:35,241 --> 00:20:37,201 Speaker 3: The prison officers knew that I was going to arrive, 387 00:20:37,281 --> 00:20:39,721 Speaker 3: but I also when another time during the week, and 388 00:20:39,801 --> 00:20:42,200 Speaker 3: I never told them when I was coming, so it 389 00:20:42,281 --> 00:20:45,801 Speaker 3: was unpredictable. When I'd rock up as a chaplain, you know, 390 00:20:46,521 --> 00:20:48,880 Speaker 3: other crims from over in the remard. But so go 391 00:20:48,961 --> 00:20:51,440 Speaker 3: and see Johnny. He's gone down the slot down to 392 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:54,761 Speaker 3: H Division. So I'd rock up to see Johnny, and 393 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:56,880 Speaker 3: the prison officer would say, oh, he doesn't want to 394 00:20:56,921 --> 00:20:59,281 Speaker 3: see it, and I said, it's a right, I need 395 00:20:59,281 --> 00:21:01,001 Speaker 3: to say that with a big smirk on his face. 396 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:04,561 Speaker 3: So I'd call someone else out, and then i'd work 397 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:08,080 Speaker 3: out from the chief's office, I'd see who else was 398 00:21:08,120 --> 00:21:10,241 Speaker 3: in the yard with this original guy that I'd asked 399 00:21:10,241 --> 00:21:13,321 Speaker 3: to see. So I want to see Tommy Brown. Tommy 400 00:21:13,321 --> 00:21:15,640 Speaker 3: Brown come out very father, you know, yep, yep, yep. 401 00:21:16,041 --> 00:21:17,600 Speaker 3: I said, why didn't you want to see me? She 402 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:19,081 Speaker 3: didn't even know you were here. What do you mean? 403 00:21:19,561 --> 00:21:21,041 Speaker 3: And I said, oh, I heard he didn't want to 404 00:21:21,041 --> 00:21:23,600 Speaker 3: see me. So this second personer goes back to the 405 00:21:23,721 --> 00:21:26,120 Speaker 3: yard and tells him, and then from the artist, I 406 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:27,921 Speaker 3: want to see the bard Ray. I want to see 407 00:21:27,961 --> 00:21:30,321 Speaker 3: the eff and pard Ray and you know, so they 408 00:21:30,321 --> 00:21:32,360 Speaker 3: had to bring him and sure enough, black and blue 409 00:21:32,481 --> 00:21:35,441 Speaker 3: stitches all around his eyes and whatever. He had been 410 00:21:35,481 --> 00:21:37,801 Speaker 3: bashed as soon as he got there, seriously bashed, not 411 00:21:37,921 --> 00:21:41,601 Speaker 3: just fallen over. Should have been a hospital case. And 412 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:44,321 Speaker 3: they didn't want the chaplain to see that type of thing. 413 00:21:44,801 --> 00:21:46,720 Speaker 2: You're one of the few people that wasn't in there 414 00:21:46,961 --> 00:21:50,440 Speaker 2: to give accounts of H Division. And we've seen the 415 00:21:50,481 --> 00:21:52,881 Speaker 2: Chopper film that's probably where we've most got a big 416 00:21:52,880 --> 00:21:53,880 Speaker 2: look at H Division. 417 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:57,521 Speaker 1: Described the atmosphere in there, what was it like it. 418 00:21:57,481 --> 00:22:00,641 Speaker 3: Was compared to the rest of the prison, which was antiquated, yes, 419 00:22:00,721 --> 00:22:04,281 Speaker 3: and a lot of isolation, but it was militarized. It 420 00:22:04,321 --> 00:22:07,640 Speaker 3: was all like you're in a military camp marching. Instead 421 00:22:07,681 --> 00:22:11,120 Speaker 3: of walking, prisoners were went to march at the double 422 00:22:11,321 --> 00:22:14,441 Speaker 3: pace or something, and they weren't allowed to have any 423 00:22:14,481 --> 00:22:17,920 Speaker 3: eye contact. There was no TVs there. I think early 424 00:22:17,961 --> 00:22:20,880 Speaker 3: on they had radios and later they had TVs, but 425 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:24,881 Speaker 3: there were so many other punishments. There are some maximum 426 00:22:24,921 --> 00:22:27,481 Speaker 3: security places. I did a report for the Supreme Court 427 00:22:27,521 --> 00:22:30,600 Speaker 3: in Tasmania recently which replicates that there was a guy there. 428 00:22:31,120 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 3: He'd been in solitary confinement for four and a half years, 429 00:22:34,721 --> 00:22:37,521 Speaker 3: only got one hour of the solid day. He had 430 00:22:37,521 --> 00:22:41,640 Speaker 3: one book, no radio, no TV, no contact visits. In 431 00:22:41,681 --> 00:22:43,840 Speaker 3: other words, if you had a visitor, he had to 432 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:46,801 Speaker 3: have visitors, but behind a glass screen. And that went 433 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:50,480 Speaker 3: on for practically four years until it was brought forward 434 00:22:50,521 --> 00:22:53,921 Speaker 3: into the Supreme Court, and unfortunately it was an out 435 00:22:53,921 --> 00:22:57,600 Speaker 3: of court settlement and the system was changed. Was based 436 00:22:57,640 --> 00:22:59,721 Speaker 3: on what had been going on in Barwin in a 437 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:04,001 Speaker 3: CASIA unit in Victoria. All the training happens to Victoria. 438 00:23:04,041 --> 00:23:07,080 Speaker 3: The idea is Tazzy replicated and picked it up. But 439 00:23:07,201 --> 00:23:11,401 Speaker 3: because it wasn't a court decision, it didn't establish precedent, 440 00:23:11,801 --> 00:23:14,881 Speaker 3: so therefore there was no policy change. I did one 441 00:23:15,001 --> 00:23:18,080 Speaker 3: a similar case of the Supreme Court recently here in Victoria, 442 00:23:18,120 --> 00:23:22,041 Speaker 3: a young Indigenous man who was mistreated in the cells 443 00:23:22,120 --> 00:23:26,080 Speaker 3: under the Melbourne Magistrates Court here in Melbourne in Lonstoyle Street, 444 00:23:26,961 --> 00:23:31,041 Speaker 3: and he became a quadriplegic, and it was medical neglect 445 00:23:31,360 --> 00:23:34,041 Speaker 3: and they should have called a doctor in two nights 446 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:37,840 Speaker 3: before he was flat out for three days and finally 447 00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:40,160 Speaker 3: when the doctor was called in the ambos, he was 448 00:23:40,481 --> 00:23:44,160 Speaker 3: set off to the Austin and he's now a quadriplegic. 449 00:23:45,041 --> 00:23:47,881 Speaker 3: Now he had a case that settled, and I don't 450 00:23:47,921 --> 00:23:50,080 Speaker 3: know what it was a secret settlement, but it'd be three, 451 00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:54,001 Speaker 3: four or five million dollars easily. But there was no precedent, 452 00:23:54,201 --> 00:23:58,561 Speaker 3: in other words, no change in policy. So even only 453 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:00,521 Speaker 3: last month I went to see the secretary of the 454 00:24:00,521 --> 00:24:03,241 Speaker 3: Department and I said, well, look that's going to happen 455 00:24:03,281 --> 00:24:05,120 Speaker 3: again if you don't change it. You've got to have 456 00:24:05,201 --> 00:24:08,441 Speaker 3: a doctor turn up there every afternoon to make sure 457 00:24:08,481 --> 00:24:10,761 Speaker 3: those people should be in that place rather than at 458 00:24:10,801 --> 00:24:13,360 Speaker 3: a proper prison, and they should only be there for 459 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:16,921 Speaker 3: one or two nights, not for fourteen nights. And she said, 460 00:24:16,921 --> 00:24:19,640 Speaker 3: my biggest problem is finding themselves for all these extra 461 00:24:19,721 --> 00:24:23,640 Speaker 3: romand people that I've got. But that's how change occurred 462 00:24:23,681 --> 00:24:26,121 Speaker 3: in the United States. And I've been to those through 463 00:24:26,120 --> 00:24:30,561 Speaker 3: the United States several times. California particularly, people say the 464 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:33,041 Speaker 3: changes occurred because it was costing too much money. It 465 00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:37,601 Speaker 3: was civil action cases coming out of California that actually 466 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:41,241 Speaker 3: produced systemic change. And that's why you won't get these 467 00:24:41,321 --> 00:24:44,281 Speaker 3: changes by marching up and down the street. It's from 468 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:47,680 Speaker 3: good human rights lawyers who are prepared to take on 469 00:24:47,801 --> 00:24:51,921 Speaker 3: these sorts of cases and establish precedent and changes in policy. 470 00:24:52,360 --> 00:24:54,041 Speaker 1: Certainly wasn't happening back in the seventies. 471 00:24:54,360 --> 00:24:58,480 Speaker 3: No. Brutal, absolutely brutal h division and it was the 472 00:24:58,561 --> 00:25:01,680 Speaker 3: idea that make it tough and people will learn. But 473 00:25:01,801 --> 00:25:04,801 Speaker 3: as you say, there were very prominent examples where people 474 00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:07,481 Speaker 3: came out and took it out on the community. 475 00:25:08,521 --> 00:25:12,041 Speaker 2: As you're talking to people in that situation and you're 476 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:17,201 Speaker 2: aware of the brutality, the pressure, the institutionalized brutality. Now 477 00:25:17,201 --> 00:25:21,120 Speaker 2: could you see the coarsening of the human spirit if 478 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:23,400 Speaker 2: you like, the brutalizing of people going on? 479 00:25:24,041 --> 00:25:27,080 Speaker 3: Oh within no, but most of them were either broken 480 00:25:27,561 --> 00:25:32,321 Speaker 3: or they just became aggressive. But you had to be careful. 481 00:25:33,241 --> 00:25:35,200 Speaker 3: You know, the last man who had the Cat of 482 00:25:35,281 --> 00:25:38,561 Speaker 3: nine tales in Australia, Bill O'Malley. We had the last 483 00:25:38,561 --> 00:25:42,761 Speaker 3: man hanged in Australia, Ronald Ryan. But Bill O'Malley had 484 00:25:42,801 --> 00:25:46,920 Speaker 3: been o'melia O'Malley had been convicted of the murder of 485 00:25:46,921 --> 00:25:51,161 Speaker 3: a police officer and he got these Cat of nine tales. 486 00:25:51,681 --> 00:25:53,521 Speaker 3: I've read his book. I don't know how much of 487 00:25:53,561 --> 00:25:56,321 Speaker 3: that is true as against what the official record was. 488 00:25:57,160 --> 00:26:02,521 Speaker 3: But he then learned to be tricky and people didn't 489 00:26:02,521 --> 00:26:04,680 Speaker 3: know what he was thinking. He'd been belted in the boys' 490 00:26:04,681 --> 00:26:07,080 Speaker 3: homes in New South Wales many many times as a 491 00:26:07,120 --> 00:26:12,080 Speaker 3: thirteen fourteen, fifteen year old that escaped very frequently. But 492 00:26:12,241 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 3: Bill learned not to give away what he was truly thinking. 493 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:19,401 Speaker 3: And that's the biggest danger. You don't know what impact 494 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:23,041 Speaker 3: are bashing or this neglect or solitary confinements having on 495 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:27,041 Speaker 3: the human mind until they get out, and that's when 496 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:30,561 Speaker 3: you can often see the consequences. And there were some 497 00:26:30,761 --> 00:26:34,561 Speaker 3: very notorious examples from h division. But look, there is 498 00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:37,441 Speaker 3: a bit of a tendency to focus on the high 499 00:26:37,561 --> 00:26:40,801 Speaker 3: security prisons most of my time when I was working 500 00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:43,640 Speaker 3: as a chaplain, the people who are most concerned about 501 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:45,720 Speaker 3: were the seventeen eighteen year olds in Remand for a 502 00:26:45,721 --> 00:26:49,200 Speaker 3: stolen car and their welfare and what was happening to 503 00:26:49,241 --> 00:26:53,441 Speaker 3: them because young kids. Now. I helped change the law 504 00:26:53,521 --> 00:26:56,721 Speaker 3: from seventeen to eighteen about ten fifteen years ago now, 505 00:26:57,281 --> 00:26:58,880 Speaker 3: and it was Steve Brax who did it. 506 00:26:58,921 --> 00:27:01,761 Speaker 1: Finally under Rob Holes, former Victorian premier. 507 00:27:01,521 --> 00:27:04,840 Speaker 3: As Attorney General. When Brax was Premier and Rob Holes 508 00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:07,360 Speaker 3: was the Attorney General, they weren't going to change the 509 00:27:07,441 --> 00:27:10,521 Speaker 3: law even though it had been policy. Anyhow, after several 510 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:14,641 Speaker 3: years we brought the change about. So it's now eighteen 511 00:27:15,001 --> 00:27:17,761 Speaker 3: in Victoria as in the rest of the country. But 512 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:20,760 Speaker 3: this idea of changing from ten to fourteen, which has 513 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:24,720 Speaker 3: been resisted by the Victorian government, but around Australia has 514 00:27:24,761 --> 00:27:27,681 Speaker 3: also been resisted, I think Northern Territory change, but they're 515 00:27:27,681 --> 00:27:31,801 Speaker 3: moved it back. Queensland still ten year olds. Well, you know, 516 00:27:32,441 --> 00:27:35,401 Speaker 3: putting ten year olds in custody now if they've committed 517 00:27:35,441 --> 00:27:37,921 Speaker 3: a serious crime, and sometimes there's a twelve year old 518 00:27:38,001 --> 00:27:40,401 Speaker 3: or a thirteen year old that will commit murder. We're 519 00:27:40,441 --> 00:27:43,561 Speaker 3: not talking about those cases. We're talking about, particularly in 520 00:27:43,561 --> 00:27:47,001 Speaker 3: the territory or Western Australia, Aboriginal kids who win their 521 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:51,640 Speaker 3: charged had taken thousands of climeters away on remand down 522 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:53,721 Speaker 3: to Perth, and they might be there for a week 523 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:56,160 Speaker 3: or two, but sometimes they might be there for a 524 00:27:56,201 --> 00:28:00,240 Speaker 3: couple of months, even for vandalism charge. This is the 525 00:28:00,281 --> 00:28:03,961 Speaker 3: best way to create a criminal identity and to lay 526 00:28:03,961 --> 00:28:05,640 Speaker 3: the foundations of a or career. 527 00:28:06,761 --> 00:28:09,641 Speaker 2: True And as you say, I guess the people who 528 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:11,760 Speaker 2: were in h Division and Jaiker Jiker and the adult 529 00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:14,401 Speaker 2: the gangsters is that probably were beyond really come redemption. 530 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:16,920 Speaker 2: But you're focusing on the up and comers who are 531 00:28:16,921 --> 00:28:20,201 Speaker 2: coming in there, and they're seeing a lot of life 532 00:28:20,241 --> 00:28:24,961 Speaker 2: opportunities gone, employment, education and so forth. So what did 533 00:28:25,001 --> 00:28:28,000 Speaker 2: you see your role? I mean, you're more a social 534 00:28:28,041 --> 00:28:29,241 Speaker 2: worker really than a priest. 535 00:28:29,360 --> 00:28:32,640 Speaker 3: No, you're there for the whole person. And that's what 536 00:28:32,681 --> 00:28:35,041 Speaker 3: I said before. That's why i'd rock up an industry 537 00:28:35,041 --> 00:28:38,601 Speaker 3: and education and family visits I'd turn in. I wouldn't 538 00:28:38,601 --> 00:28:41,200 Speaker 3: intrude on family visits, but you'd walk into the visiting 539 00:28:41,241 --> 00:28:43,161 Speaker 3: era and if someone called you over you come and 540 00:28:43,241 --> 00:28:46,801 Speaker 3: join the family, and you'd visit the families out of ours. 541 00:28:47,401 --> 00:28:51,001 Speaker 3: But people misunderstand these days, particularly what the role of 542 00:28:51,001 --> 00:28:52,641 Speaker 3: a chaplin might be, or what the role of a 543 00:28:52,681 --> 00:28:56,521 Speaker 3: priest was. At least it wasn't like a supermarket person 544 00:28:56,601 --> 00:29:00,881 Speaker 3: running around doing weddings, funerals and baptisms. It was actually 545 00:29:01,161 --> 00:29:04,081 Speaker 3: knocking on doors and being part of the community. Now, 546 00:29:04,321 --> 00:29:07,121 Speaker 3: particularly in the for a church, because of the shortage 547 00:29:07,121 --> 00:29:10,201 Speaker 3: of priests, they can't do that. Instead of having two 548 00:29:10,281 --> 00:29:12,201 Speaker 3: or three priests in each parish, now they've got one 549 00:29:12,201 --> 00:29:16,361 Speaker 3: priest running three parishes and all he does is jumping 550 00:29:16,441 --> 00:29:18,281 Speaker 3: his car and drive from one place to the other. 551 00:29:18,481 --> 00:29:21,521 Speaker 3: And a capacity to actually be engaged. So when I 552 00:29:21,561 --> 00:29:24,561 Speaker 3: was chuckling at prison, coming back to the central focus 553 00:29:24,561 --> 00:29:28,361 Speaker 3: of our discussion, I was playing that pastoral role. And 554 00:29:28,441 --> 00:29:31,881 Speaker 3: out of the pastoral role becomes a guidance role, and 555 00:29:31,921 --> 00:29:35,241 Speaker 3: out of the guidance role sometimes comes a spiritual role. 556 00:29:35,761 --> 00:29:38,841 Speaker 3: But you don't start the other way around. You'll scare people. 557 00:29:38,841 --> 00:29:41,801 Speaker 3: Offer to start, but people also you've got to establish 558 00:29:41,881 --> 00:29:45,881 Speaker 3: a credibility and your capacity to engage in order to 559 00:29:45,881 --> 00:29:47,440 Speaker 3: be able to work at that deeper level. 560 00:29:48,041 --> 00:29:50,761 Speaker 1: Yeah, I found a very minor way. 561 00:29:50,761 --> 00:29:53,201 Speaker 2: I've been speaking the prisoners for twenty five years as well, 562 00:29:53,241 --> 00:29:57,241 Speaker 2: I guess, and that pastoral thing is very important, particularly 563 00:29:57,241 --> 00:29:59,921 Speaker 2: when you see people who've gone in there and they've 564 00:29:59,961 --> 00:30:01,361 Speaker 2: been on the tear outside. 565 00:30:01,361 --> 00:30:04,801 Speaker 1: They're probably alcohol affected, off in drugs. There's a lot 566 00:30:04,801 --> 00:30:06,681 Speaker 1: of from all around them. When something in the. 567 00:30:06,641 --> 00:30:10,241 Speaker 2: Solitude and the quiet of the prison, insight begins to 568 00:30:11,161 --> 00:30:14,321 Speaker 2: occur and there's a desire to talk. 569 00:30:15,281 --> 00:30:17,041 Speaker 1: Could you see that as certain prisoners. 570 00:30:17,241 --> 00:30:19,121 Speaker 3: I know it happened a lot, not for everyone, and 571 00:30:19,161 --> 00:30:21,481 Speaker 3: you don't impose yourself on everyone. But on the day 572 00:30:21,681 --> 00:30:26,280 Speaker 3: that Pentridge officially closed in ninety six or thereabouts, I 573 00:30:26,321 --> 00:30:28,720 Speaker 3: was asked to speak at the closing ceremony, despite the 574 00:30:28,761 --> 00:30:31,641 Speaker 3: fact that I'd been a public critic of the system. 575 00:30:32,281 --> 00:30:34,761 Speaker 3: The governor or the director of the prisons that invited 576 00:30:34,801 --> 00:30:37,881 Speaker 3: me to speak, and I only had a few minutes, 577 00:30:38,081 --> 00:30:42,041 Speaker 3: and I said, every cell in this institution has been 578 00:30:42,081 --> 00:30:45,841 Speaker 3: wept in and every cell has been prayed in, every 579 00:30:45,921 --> 00:30:49,440 Speaker 3: cell And it was just a catchy phrase which got 580 00:30:49,481 --> 00:30:52,681 Speaker 3: remembered and picked up. When I finished in the prison, 581 00:30:53,481 --> 00:30:56,000 Speaker 3: I was moving on to another job and we had 582 00:30:56,041 --> 00:30:59,121 Speaker 3: a chaplains meeting with the other Protestant chaplains, and the 583 00:30:59,161 --> 00:31:01,561 Speaker 3: governor of the prison was meant to offer me a plaque, 584 00:31:01,561 --> 00:31:03,561 Speaker 3: which was a bit silly because prison offices used to 585 00:31:03,561 --> 00:31:06,001 Speaker 3: get a plark as public servant because they had been 586 00:31:06,001 --> 00:31:08,761 Speaker 3: in uniform. But they started giving one to retiring chaplains, 587 00:31:09,721 --> 00:31:13,121 Speaker 3: and the word went around that the governor wasn't refused 588 00:31:13,161 --> 00:31:16,481 Speaker 3: to present this plaque to me, and the other chaplains 589 00:31:16,481 --> 00:31:18,960 Speaker 3: were a bit churlish about it and sort of saying, well, 590 00:31:19,001 --> 00:31:21,681 Speaker 3: that serves him right, really, But I said, look, I 591 00:31:21,681 --> 00:31:23,881 Speaker 3: can only come for a short time of this chaplains 592 00:31:23,921 --> 00:31:26,240 Speaker 3: meeting because I've got to go into town. Actually, the 593 00:31:26,281 --> 00:31:30,280 Speaker 3: minister's going to present the plaque to me himself, so 594 00:31:30,361 --> 00:31:32,921 Speaker 3: as the minister who decided to be the puck, possibly 595 00:31:33,001 --> 00:31:36,041 Speaker 3: because he thought it might be bad, you know, publicity. 596 00:31:36,081 --> 00:31:38,001 Speaker 3: If the plaque wasn't presented to me, not that I 597 00:31:38,041 --> 00:31:40,761 Speaker 3: wanted it, Now I have it a pride of place 598 00:31:40,761 --> 00:31:42,641 Speaker 3: at home. More is a bit of a joke than 599 00:31:43,961 --> 00:31:46,281 Speaker 3: any kind of If I had been a prison officer 600 00:31:46,281 --> 00:31:48,240 Speaker 3: and worked there for twenty years, obviously it's got a 601 00:31:48,241 --> 00:31:51,200 Speaker 3: different significance. But as a chaplain, I didn't want to 602 00:31:51,201 --> 00:31:55,601 Speaker 3: be part of the social control system because very easy 603 00:31:55,681 --> 00:31:58,041 Speaker 3: for chaplains, and I've written something about this in a 604 00:31:58,121 --> 00:32:01,601 Speaker 3: journal recently. Very easy for chaplains to be part of 605 00:32:01,601 --> 00:32:04,641 Speaker 3: the social control system. After all, the modern prison was 606 00:32:04,681 --> 00:32:09,321 Speaker 3: built the monastic model. For your listeners, I'm talking about monasteries, 607 00:32:09,441 --> 00:32:12,841 Speaker 3: monks who lived in cells and they were cut off 608 00:32:12,881 --> 00:32:15,601 Speaker 3: from the outside world and just had the Bible and 609 00:32:15,681 --> 00:32:20,521 Speaker 3: they're singing in the chapel. And so the modern design 610 00:32:20,641 --> 00:32:23,881 Speaker 3: of the prisons from England was built on that monastic model, 611 00:32:23,961 --> 00:32:24,721 Speaker 3: like a monastery. 612 00:32:24,761 --> 00:32:26,841 Speaker 1: I never knew that, hence the word cell. 613 00:32:27,241 --> 00:32:29,721 Speaker 3: And the only thing you didn't have TVs or radios, 614 00:32:29,761 --> 00:32:32,240 Speaker 3: You had a Bible and you'd only get out of 615 00:32:32,241 --> 00:32:34,841 Speaker 3: the cell for an hour's exercise into one of these 616 00:32:35,401 --> 00:32:38,041 Speaker 3: the big exercise yard. You get out and exercise and 617 00:32:38,041 --> 00:32:40,761 Speaker 3: there'd be a prison officer in the center tower and 618 00:32:40,761 --> 00:32:41,601 Speaker 3: you wouldn't even be. 619 00:32:43,241 --> 00:32:45,801 Speaker 1: Yeah, yes, they don't see everything from the tower. 620 00:32:46,121 --> 00:32:48,841 Speaker 3: They only discover them in the foundations in the old 621 00:32:48,881 --> 00:32:53,321 Speaker 3: Pentridge prison only very recent years. Yeah, the chaplain can 622 00:32:53,361 --> 00:32:56,561 Speaker 3: be very easily made part of the social control system. 623 00:32:56,761 --> 00:32:59,641 Speaker 3: When I visited America for the first time and I 624 00:32:59,841 --> 00:33:03,440 Speaker 3: was part of a more progressive network of prison chaplains 625 00:33:03,521 --> 00:33:07,200 Speaker 3: part of particularly through the Jesuit Network and others, but 626 00:33:07,321 --> 00:33:13,200 Speaker 3: the American Correctional Chaplains Association didn't oppose capital punishment and 627 00:33:13,281 --> 00:33:17,081 Speaker 3: at the time didn't oppose the rapid expansion of the 628 00:33:17,081 --> 00:33:20,361 Speaker 3: prison system that took place through the nineteen eighties. Of 629 00:33:20,441 --> 00:33:25,361 Speaker 3: the nineteen nineties, the prison population of America increased by 630 00:33:25,401 --> 00:33:27,401 Speaker 3: a million and a few years and then a second 631 00:33:27,401 --> 00:33:31,841 Speaker 3: million ad huge cost to the community, despite the fact 632 00:33:31,841 --> 00:33:36,440 Speaker 3: crime wasn't dramatically increasing, it was significant. But after the 633 00:33:36,481 --> 00:33:40,561 Speaker 3: first million extra prisoners they found in America, there was 634 00:33:40,601 --> 00:33:43,921 Speaker 3: obviously a significant drop in the crime rate because street 635 00:33:44,241 --> 00:33:46,281 Speaker 3: it was easy to go to New York without getting 636 00:33:46,321 --> 00:33:50,321 Speaker 3: margged and so on. But the second midion no measurable 637 00:33:50,401 --> 00:33:54,440 Speaker 3: impact on crime or community safety for the second million people. 638 00:33:54,441 --> 00:33:57,601 Speaker 3: All the research has been done, so obviously more people 639 00:33:57,601 --> 00:34:00,521 Speaker 3: could have gone to prison make the streets safer, but 640 00:34:00,641 --> 00:34:06,641 Speaker 3: the second million nothing and huge expect both financial and 641 00:34:06,721 --> 00:34:10,361 Speaker 3: social cost. All those people in prison have got kids, 642 00:34:11,081 --> 00:34:14,481 Speaker 3: and it's those kids who don't have dads, and in 643 00:34:14,561 --> 00:34:17,961 Speaker 3: some ways, even though they are the father, the dads 644 00:34:18,081 --> 00:34:22,841 Speaker 3: actually perform a negative role because there's a high possibility 645 00:34:22,841 --> 00:34:26,361 Speaker 3: that those kids will model themselves on their father's antisocial 646 00:34:26,481 --> 00:34:30,121 Speaker 3: behavior because the father is not home, is in prison. 647 00:34:31,641 --> 00:34:36,161 Speaker 2: The confessionals always regarded as sacrisanct, the confidentiality when you're 648 00:34:36,881 --> 00:34:39,921 Speaker 2: in cells with prisoners and talking to them, did you 649 00:34:39,961 --> 00:34:41,601 Speaker 2: take a similar approduct, I mean them, I guess there 650 00:34:41,601 --> 00:34:43,641 Speaker 2: are moments where they could have passed information to you 651 00:34:43,681 --> 00:34:46,321 Speaker 2: that might have been important to the waters. 652 00:34:47,001 --> 00:34:49,521 Speaker 3: Ah, well, that's right in terms of being part of 653 00:34:49,521 --> 00:34:55,681 Speaker 3: the system. The confessional secrecy, which is part of church's 654 00:34:56,321 --> 00:35:00,201 Speaker 3: rules and regulations, doesn't just apply to what's called the 655 00:35:00,281 --> 00:35:05,081 Speaker 3: sacramental confession. It also applies to the professional role of 656 00:35:05,121 --> 00:35:08,361 Speaker 3: the chaplain as a confidant, much the same as it 657 00:35:08,401 --> 00:35:12,361 Speaker 3: does to a lawyer and a doctor. That confidentiality has 658 00:35:12,401 --> 00:35:17,161 Speaker 3: to be interpreted broadly in terms of the professional practice. 659 00:35:17,201 --> 00:35:20,561 Speaker 3: But I would avoid being in situations where I was 660 00:35:20,641 --> 00:35:23,681 Speaker 3: receiving information that might have compromised me. And on some 661 00:35:23,761 --> 00:35:27,321 Speaker 3: occasions prisoners wanted to put you in a situation where 662 00:35:27,321 --> 00:35:31,161 Speaker 3: you were compromised for their own advantage, So you had 663 00:35:31,201 --> 00:35:33,521 Speaker 3: to be a bit smart. They might have thought that 664 00:35:33,561 --> 00:35:35,961 Speaker 3: you were a bit naive, and it's okay if they 665 00:35:36,001 --> 00:35:39,601 Speaker 3: think that. But behind it all even through the Gangland 666 00:35:39,641 --> 00:35:44,121 Speaker 3: Wars later on, which I was centrally involved doing quite 667 00:35:44,161 --> 00:35:46,561 Speaker 3: a few of the funerals, I always had a bit 668 00:35:46,601 --> 00:35:48,921 Speaker 3: in reserve that I knew that I needed to be 669 00:35:48,961 --> 00:35:51,960 Speaker 3: in charge of the situation. I'd turn up at some 670 00:35:52,241 --> 00:35:56,401 Speaker 3: social functions, birthday parties or whatever they were, whether it 671 00:35:56,441 --> 00:35:58,521 Speaker 3: was a wedding or a baptism or something for the 672 00:35:58,601 --> 00:36:01,801 Speaker 3: families of some of the people centrally involved in that, 673 00:36:02,441 --> 00:36:04,521 Speaker 3: and that was my role as a chaplain, to be 674 00:36:04,601 --> 00:36:08,401 Speaker 3: part of it social world. But at some of those functions, 675 00:36:08,561 --> 00:36:11,401 Speaker 3: I would not only see solicitors there, but I'd also 676 00:36:11,561 --> 00:36:15,521 Speaker 3: see barristers there, and I used to ask myself, and 677 00:36:15,561 --> 00:36:19,281 Speaker 3: I never really challenged them, what hell is this barrister 678 00:36:19,441 --> 00:36:23,201 Speaker 3: doing at this family function? Solicitor you might ask the 679 00:36:23,201 --> 00:36:26,321 Speaker 3: same question, but it's a little bit not quite as clear. 680 00:36:27,041 --> 00:36:32,001 Speaker 3: I had serious reservations that criminal barristers were crossing the 681 00:36:32,081 --> 00:36:36,001 Speaker 3: line by socializing with some of these people that they'd represented. 682 00:36:36,481 --> 00:36:38,801 Speaker 3: Now many many of them, most of them wouldn't do it, 683 00:36:39,401 --> 00:36:41,480 Speaker 3: and I'm not going to mention any names, but it's 684 00:36:41,521 --> 00:36:44,121 Speaker 3: just a question that came to my mind, and I 685 00:36:44,121 --> 00:36:46,801 Speaker 3: had to think about what my role was there. Have 686 00:36:46,961 --> 00:36:50,440 Speaker 3: dinner and whatever with the families. But I didn't want 687 00:36:50,441 --> 00:36:51,361 Speaker 3: to be compromised. 688 00:36:51,881 --> 00:36:54,161 Speaker 2: Yeah, I can have a few names with Bob Vernon 689 00:36:54,201 --> 00:36:57,761 Speaker 2: and Brian Burke and the host of them, Andrew Fraser. 690 00:36:58,641 --> 00:37:00,441 Speaker 2: You wonder why that is, and I think maybe they did. 691 00:37:00,481 --> 00:37:03,161 Speaker 2: They were just better company. I think them probably judges 692 00:37:03,281 --> 00:37:06,001 Speaker 2: or other barristers or certainly believe warders. 693 00:37:06,561 --> 00:37:09,681 Speaker 3: Yes, oh well, I mean that's their judgment. And I 694 00:37:09,721 --> 00:37:12,841 Speaker 3: think the experienced people like Brian Burke would never have 695 00:37:12,921 --> 00:37:16,921 Speaker 3: been compromised. But I saw others that I thought could 696 00:37:16,921 --> 00:37:19,121 Speaker 3: have been. I can't sit in judgment on them, but 697 00:37:19,161 --> 00:37:21,641 Speaker 3: I just wondered about that crossing the line a bit. 698 00:37:22,601 --> 00:37:23,401 Speaker 1: Yes, I did meet you. 699 00:37:23,441 --> 00:37:25,401 Speaker 2: I think it was in December two thousand and three 700 00:37:26,121 --> 00:37:29,561 Speaker 2: when you were officiating at Graham the Munster Kinnerburg's funeral. 701 00:37:29,601 --> 00:37:32,241 Speaker 2: He'd been murdered in the first week of December in 702 00:37:32,361 --> 00:37:34,601 Speaker 2: that year by Carl William's cohort. 703 00:37:35,321 --> 00:37:38,721 Speaker 1: And you gave a very memorable service. 704 00:37:38,761 --> 00:37:41,361 Speaker 2: It was the Sacred Heart Q I believe, yes, right, 705 00:37:41,561 --> 00:37:44,921 Speaker 2: and everyone was. There was a huge moment. Church was overflowing. 706 00:37:44,921 --> 00:37:47,801 Speaker 2: It was full of criminal heads. How would you at 707 00:37:47,841 --> 00:37:50,561 Speaker 2: you go about framing a not a eulogy of but 708 00:37:50,561 --> 00:37:53,561 Speaker 2: a whole service around someone who's died so violently. 709 00:37:54,081 --> 00:37:56,441 Speaker 3: Yeah, well there were I knew Graham pretty well. He 710 00:37:56,561 --> 00:38:00,681 Speaker 3: used to He and his wife Sybil used to call 711 00:38:00,681 --> 00:38:03,121 Speaker 3: at a restaurant in Bridge Road, Richmond. I was at 712 00:38:03,121 --> 00:38:05,521 Speaker 3: Saint Saint Ignatius Church on the hill and I'd be 713 00:38:05,561 --> 00:38:08,001 Speaker 3: walking the dog and Graham it would be at this 714 00:38:08,921 --> 00:38:13,121 Speaker 3: Italian place, just a reasonable cheebot place, and you'd see 715 00:38:13,161 --> 00:38:17,081 Speaker 3: me go past, you come out going and I said, 716 00:38:17,081 --> 00:38:18,241 Speaker 3: what are you here for? He said, I like to 717 00:38:18,281 --> 00:38:20,641 Speaker 3: come here on Tuesday nights because the Tigers coming here 718 00:38:20,681 --> 00:38:23,441 Speaker 3: from their pastor after their training. And he was like 719 00:38:23,481 --> 00:38:26,761 Speaker 3: a kid wanting to see these football players with his wife. 720 00:38:27,321 --> 00:38:31,241 Speaker 3: But no at Graham's funeral and he was gunned down 721 00:38:32,281 --> 00:38:33,761 Speaker 3: in the middle of the night when he was just 722 00:38:33,801 --> 00:38:37,721 Speaker 3: coming home to cure his family home. And I got 723 00:38:37,721 --> 00:38:42,561 Speaker 3: a call, as I had several times previously from the family. 724 00:38:42,641 --> 00:38:45,881 Speaker 3: Sybil rang and as I said to Cameron Stewart, I 725 00:38:45,881 --> 00:38:50,361 Speaker 3: think in the Australia Yea that his headline was that 726 00:38:50,401 --> 00:38:54,761 Speaker 3: they'd moved from being gangster wives to gangster widows in 727 00:38:54,881 --> 00:38:59,761 Speaker 3: five seconds. And they would then call and not necessarily 728 00:38:59,801 --> 00:39:03,121 Speaker 3: in this order according to Father Nordon, the police, their 729 00:39:03,201 --> 00:39:06,081 Speaker 3: lawyer and the priest, but not necessary early in that order. 730 00:39:06,561 --> 00:39:08,801 Speaker 3: So when I get a call from civil at two 731 00:39:08,921 --> 00:39:10,881 Speaker 3: or something, I'm over there in. 732 00:39:10,841 --> 00:39:13,321 Speaker 1: The morning, in the morning after the murder. 733 00:39:13,401 --> 00:39:18,241 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm there within ten minutes. I drive from Richmond 734 00:39:18,281 --> 00:39:20,841 Speaker 3: over to q By the time I get there, there's 735 00:39:20,841 --> 00:39:23,321 Speaker 3: one hundred and fifty coppers there. They've already got a 736 00:39:23,481 --> 00:39:27,960 Speaker 3: caravan there making hamburgers and coffee. And I thought, it's 737 00:39:28,001 --> 00:39:31,601 Speaker 3: just funny. It's a bit suspicious, but I was being paranoid. 738 00:39:31,961 --> 00:39:34,161 Speaker 3: But anyhow, they have these systems ready to roll out. 739 00:39:35,441 --> 00:39:38,441 Speaker 3: And so there was a young copper standing outside and 740 00:39:38,481 --> 00:39:40,321 Speaker 3: he said, what are you doing in here? And I said, oh, 741 00:39:40,401 --> 00:39:43,241 Speaker 3: I obviously allowed in. I'm a chaplain to the family 742 00:39:43,321 --> 00:39:45,881 Speaker 3: and I'm being called to the family to conduct the 743 00:39:45,961 --> 00:39:49,641 Speaker 3: last rites. So I open up the book. He's and 744 00:39:49,681 --> 00:39:52,641 Speaker 3: I've got the oil and whatever, and you're not allowed 745 00:39:52,681 --> 00:39:55,841 Speaker 3: touch the body. And I said, well, I'm doing the annoying. 746 00:39:55,921 --> 00:39:58,561 Speaker 3: I've got to annoy at the forehead and the palms. 747 00:39:59,201 --> 00:40:01,001 Speaker 3: You're not allowed to touch the body, and I know. 748 00:40:02,161 --> 00:40:05,521 Speaker 3: So I then started the service and I turned up 749 00:40:05,521 --> 00:40:08,961 Speaker 3: the volume saying that these prayers and you know, a 750 00:40:09,041 --> 00:40:12,681 Speaker 3: gospel passage, and the officers started getting a bit embarrassed 751 00:40:12,681 --> 00:40:16,161 Speaker 3: because I'm doing this religious thing. And so he turns 752 00:40:16,161 --> 00:40:19,401 Speaker 3: and looks the other way. While he's turning the other 753 00:40:19,441 --> 00:40:22,121 Speaker 3: way for twenty seconds, bang the oil goes on the 754 00:40:22,201 --> 00:40:25,521 Speaker 3: monster's forehead and on his wrists. So I fulfilled what 755 00:40:25,841 --> 00:40:30,001 Speaker 3: was my professional duty. I mean, there's not as interfering 756 00:40:30,041 --> 00:40:33,121 Speaker 3: with a crime scene. They knew how he died, and 757 00:40:33,161 --> 00:40:36,601 Speaker 3: it wasn't from anything I'd done. It was from a 758 00:40:36,641 --> 00:40:40,521 Speaker 3: thirty eight revolver. So anyhow, we go inside. I said, 759 00:40:40,521 --> 00:40:42,201 Speaker 3: I'll go and to see the family. You've done what 760 00:40:42,241 --> 00:40:45,441 Speaker 3: you know, I'll go and see the family. And so 761 00:40:45,601 --> 00:40:48,601 Speaker 3: there's three or four senior inspectors there and talked at 762 00:40:48,601 --> 00:40:50,681 Speaker 3: FAB five. So one of the inspectors say, you're ready 763 00:40:50,681 --> 00:40:52,881 Speaker 3: to go now, father, and I said, no, not at all. 764 00:40:53,441 --> 00:40:55,521 Speaker 3: I'll be here for a long time. Mat He said, 765 00:40:55,561 --> 00:40:57,601 Speaker 3: I thought you might have been finished, you know, you're 766 00:40:57,601 --> 00:41:01,480 Speaker 3: having done the annoying And I said, oh no, it's 767 00:41:01,481 --> 00:41:04,041 Speaker 3: been a pretty tough I'll be here as long as 768 00:41:04,041 --> 00:41:07,721 Speaker 3: the family want me here. And so he then thinks 769 00:41:07,761 --> 00:41:10,801 Speaker 3: to himself and he says, Look, Missus Kinnerborough, it's been 770 00:41:10,841 --> 00:41:14,001 Speaker 3: a shocking experience for you, but you know we can 771 00:41:14,041 --> 00:41:15,801 Speaker 3: solve a lot of these things. If you and the 772 00:41:15,841 --> 00:41:18,521 Speaker 3: family members were to come down to some Kilda road now, 773 00:41:19,001 --> 00:41:21,121 Speaker 3: you could make your statements and it all be finished. 774 00:41:21,161 --> 00:41:22,561 Speaker 3: You know, you wouldn't have to worry having to do 775 00:41:22,601 --> 00:41:25,241 Speaker 3: it in the next couple of days. So several turns 776 00:41:25,241 --> 00:41:28,481 Speaker 3: and looks at me and I go, I'm shaking my head, No, 777 00:41:28,641 --> 00:41:32,561 Speaker 3: don't do it, and he's sort of persisting, and I said, Inspector, 778 00:41:33,441 --> 00:41:36,241 Speaker 3: Missus Kinnerburrough has had a very, very difficult time. As 779 00:41:36,241 --> 00:41:39,441 Speaker 3: of the family members, I think it'd be much better 780 00:41:39,841 --> 00:41:41,761 Speaker 3: for them to stay here in their own home and 781 00:41:42,201 --> 00:41:45,161 Speaker 3: within the next few days they will be happy to 782 00:41:45,241 --> 00:41:48,561 Speaker 3: do the interviews that you have suggested, But not tonight, Inspector. 783 00:41:49,321 --> 00:41:51,601 Speaker 3: But the inspector wanted the family out of the house 784 00:41:52,241 --> 00:41:55,641 Speaker 3: so they could search the place, and they wanted the 785 00:41:55,641 --> 00:41:57,921 Speaker 3: place empty so they could go through with a fine 786 00:41:57,961 --> 00:42:01,081 Speaker 3: tooth comb and find a whole lot of what they 787 00:42:01,121 --> 00:42:03,401 Speaker 3: thought might have been evidence. Now I'm not there on 788 00:42:04,081 --> 00:42:07,001 Speaker 3: Graham's side. They had every right in the world to 789 00:42:07,041 --> 00:42:09,441 Speaker 3: stay in that home that night and not to be 790 00:42:09,561 --> 00:42:12,201 Speaker 3: talked into having to leave the home to give some 791 00:42:12,281 --> 00:42:16,321 Speaker 3: interview at two or three in the morning, after Graham 792 00:42:16,321 --> 00:42:19,521 Speaker 3: had been shot dead on their doorstep. Now I'm not 793 00:42:19,561 --> 00:42:22,761 Speaker 3: saying that because I wanted to disrupt the police duties, 794 00:42:23,361 --> 00:42:25,601 Speaker 3: but it was just if I hadn't have been there, 795 00:42:26,601 --> 00:42:29,321 Speaker 3: they would have had a lot of trouble saying no 796 00:42:29,561 --> 00:42:32,441 Speaker 3: to that pressure being placed on them by that senior 797 00:42:32,481 --> 00:42:34,161 Speaker 3: inspector from the homicide squad. 798 00:42:35,961 --> 00:42:38,361 Speaker 2: Yes, and I think that, and the place could have 799 00:42:38,401 --> 00:42:40,001 Speaker 2: been searched, and it could have been very embarrassing for 800 00:42:40,001 --> 00:42:43,321 Speaker 2: everyone because obviously Graham was a prolific receiver of stolen goods, 801 00:42:43,361 --> 00:42:47,761 Speaker 2: and so they say it's all in the past now, 802 00:42:47,841 --> 00:42:50,161 Speaker 2: but I think but he was also the old school 803 00:42:50,161 --> 00:42:53,121 Speaker 2: where those guys didn't share much with their wives because 804 00:42:53,161 --> 00:42:55,121 Speaker 2: they might have to be forced into that situation at 805 00:42:55,121 --> 00:42:57,761 Speaker 2: some stage or other. And I think he knew better 806 00:42:57,761 --> 00:43:00,881 Speaker 2: than to burden his wife with those things. But that era, right, 807 00:43:00,961 --> 00:43:02,521 Speaker 2: We can go to the gang lay war, because it 808 00:43:02,561 --> 00:43:05,561 Speaker 2: was that's what I really started my crime career, if 809 00:43:05,561 --> 00:43:09,321 Speaker 2: you like, and the violence and the spondineity of it. 810 00:43:09,361 --> 00:43:11,241 Speaker 2: And I think we've had a lot of gang wors 811 00:43:11,321 --> 00:43:15,641 Speaker 2: since in Australia, but that one seems to still be 812 00:43:15,721 --> 00:43:16,521 Speaker 2: the high watermark. 813 00:43:17,441 --> 00:43:20,481 Speaker 3: Well, it was complicated because when I was cutting my 814 00:43:20,601 --> 00:43:24,601 Speaker 3: teeth during the seventies, ten years fifteen years before, there 815 00:43:24,681 --> 00:43:27,601 Speaker 3: was such a thing as a consorting squad, and the 816 00:43:27,681 --> 00:43:32,281 Speaker 3: consorting squad was an intelligence gathering squad in Victoria Police, 817 00:43:32,321 --> 00:43:35,921 Speaker 3: and there was one in every jurisdiction around Australia and 818 00:43:36,001 --> 00:43:39,081 Speaker 3: they would be doing research and gathering data and who's 819 00:43:39,121 --> 00:43:42,761 Speaker 3: connected to herm And eventually the consorting squads were abandoned. 820 00:43:43,561 --> 00:43:47,561 Speaker 3: So when the Gangland murders started occurring in Melbourne early 821 00:43:47,681 --> 00:43:51,241 Speaker 3: nineties to mid nineties, at least with about thirty thirty 822 00:43:51,241 --> 00:43:58,881 Speaker 3: plus deaths occurring, the police had no background information and 823 00:43:59,241 --> 00:44:02,601 Speaker 3: it was either yourself or Cameron Stewart that asked me, 824 00:44:02,761 --> 00:44:05,881 Speaker 3: had I ever heard of someone called Benji andvy Venemon? 825 00:44:06,081 --> 00:44:06,441 Speaker 1: Yeah? 826 00:44:06,481 --> 00:44:09,521 Speaker 3: And I said, no, I know who you referring to, 827 00:44:09,601 --> 00:44:11,521 Speaker 3: but I don't know him and I don't know who 828 00:44:11,521 --> 00:44:14,841 Speaker 3: he is because he came from nowhere. And it was 829 00:44:14,881 --> 00:44:17,561 Speaker 3: a journalist, whether it was yourself or whether it was 830 00:44:17,641 --> 00:44:21,761 Speaker 3: Cameron Stuart, was asking me that question. But they had 831 00:44:21,801 --> 00:44:24,801 Speaker 3: no background information and there was a change in power 832 00:44:24,921 --> 00:44:29,641 Speaker 3: dynamics going on between those who were the old crew 833 00:44:29,841 --> 00:44:33,041 Speaker 3: often centered around Carlton and a new crew that was 834 00:44:33,081 --> 00:44:36,121 Speaker 3: growing up in the western suburbs. Who don't need to 835 00:44:36,161 --> 00:44:38,681 Speaker 3: mention any names, but there was a power struggle going 836 00:44:38,721 --> 00:44:40,961 Speaker 3: on and that was what it was all over, and 837 00:44:41,001 --> 00:44:44,361 Speaker 3: a lot of strong egos that had been offended, and 838 00:44:44,721 --> 00:44:47,561 Speaker 3: it went on and on and on. But the police 839 00:44:47,641 --> 00:44:53,521 Speaker 3: had very little intelligence and possibly that's why they compromised 840 00:44:53,561 --> 00:44:59,081 Speaker 3: themselves at that time and decided to proceed with witness. 841 00:44:58,841 --> 00:45:00,641 Speaker 1: X oh Nicola Gobbo. 842 00:45:01,521 --> 00:45:04,361 Speaker 3: It was pretty desperate times. There were a lot of deaths. 843 00:45:05,161 --> 00:45:08,841 Speaker 3: They didn't know what was going on. They felt they 844 00:45:08,881 --> 00:45:15,041 Speaker 3: needed to compromise a barrister who was representing some of 845 00:45:15,081 --> 00:45:19,201 Speaker 3: these people and at the same time allegedly became a 846 00:45:19,281 --> 00:45:23,961 Speaker 3: Crown witness against them. Now, the senior police would say 847 00:45:24,001 --> 00:45:26,521 Speaker 3: and did say in the Royal Commission, and they can 848 00:45:26,601 --> 00:45:30,241 Speaker 3: remain nameless, that they were not aware that Gobo was 849 00:45:30,281 --> 00:45:33,001 Speaker 3: actually giving evidence to police on people that she was 850 00:45:33,041 --> 00:45:37,041 Speaker 3: currently representing. That's what they said on sworn evidence at 851 00:45:37,041 --> 00:45:41,561 Speaker 3: the Royal Commission. Certain senior officers. Well that could well 852 00:45:41,641 --> 00:45:45,401 Speaker 3: be true. It sounds unlikely, but if it's sworn evidence 853 00:45:45,401 --> 00:45:49,521 Speaker 3: from very senior ex officers. You'd have to give it 854 00:45:49,561 --> 00:45:51,961 Speaker 3: some credibility. That might be the case, because that's the 855 00:45:52,001 --> 00:45:54,721 Speaker 3: sworn evidence they gave in the Royal Commission. But they 856 00:45:54,721 --> 00:45:57,961 Speaker 3: were certainly in the dark and they were desperate to 857 00:45:58,401 --> 00:46:01,361 Speaker 3: find out what the next step was. But at Graham's 858 00:46:01,361 --> 00:46:04,921 Speaker 3: funeral at Sacred Heart, you asked me the question how 859 00:46:05,201 --> 00:46:08,361 Speaker 3: you proceed with that? Well, I knew that crew, a 860 00:46:08,481 --> 00:46:12,041 Speaker 3: number of them pretty well. Media were thrown outside and 861 00:46:12,041 --> 00:46:15,081 Speaker 3: weren't allowed in, although someone had a microphone inside and 862 00:46:15,121 --> 00:46:17,801 Speaker 3: they had a camera through a side door. But I 863 00:46:17,841 --> 00:46:21,321 Speaker 3: remember one of the lines there that I said was 864 00:46:22,201 --> 00:46:24,841 Speaker 3: by this time a dozen or more of the people 865 00:46:24,841 --> 00:46:28,241 Speaker 3: that I knew had been murdered, And I said to 866 00:46:28,281 --> 00:46:31,921 Speaker 3: this group they were about four hundred there. Real strength 867 00:46:32,561 --> 00:46:35,801 Speaker 3: doesn't come from the barrel of a gun. But when 868 00:46:35,881 --> 00:46:39,801 Speaker 3: men who have differences with one another learn to live 869 00:46:39,881 --> 00:46:43,201 Speaker 3: with one another and settle their differences and find a 870 00:46:43,201 --> 00:46:46,761 Speaker 3: way of getting on with their own lives, these deaths 871 00:46:46,841 --> 00:46:51,481 Speaker 3: have to stop. Well. Now, a very famous journalist who's 872 00:46:51,561 --> 00:46:58,521 Speaker 3: got different reputation from different quarters, Andrew Bolt, around that time, 873 00:46:59,641 --> 00:47:02,001 Speaker 3: gave me a broadside in his column in The Herald 874 00:47:02,081 --> 00:47:05,681 Speaker 3: Sun saying that I wasn't preaching the gospel of these people. 875 00:47:05,721 --> 00:47:08,641 Speaker 3: I was getting up there and saying that Mara Gondala 876 00:47:08,761 --> 00:47:12,641 Speaker 3: would be welcomed at the Pearly Gates or something. So 877 00:47:12,961 --> 00:47:16,881 Speaker 3: I got Bolt's email and I sent him word for 878 00:47:16,921 --> 00:47:19,041 Speaker 3: word because I don't add lib. At those funerals, I 879 00:47:19,041 --> 00:47:21,521 Speaker 3: didn't add LIB. I had a script. They mightn't have 880 00:47:21,601 --> 00:47:23,321 Speaker 3: known that I had a script, but I was reading 881 00:47:23,361 --> 00:47:26,921 Speaker 3: it word for word without looking like I was reading 882 00:47:26,921 --> 00:47:30,161 Speaker 3: it because I knew what I wanted to say, and 883 00:47:30,201 --> 00:47:32,521 Speaker 3: I told him. I gave him exactly what I said, 884 00:47:32,561 --> 00:47:34,921 Speaker 3: and I said, if you say I'm not preaching the gospel, 885 00:47:35,081 --> 00:47:38,401 Speaker 3: just read the scripts of those couple of homilies that 886 00:47:38,481 --> 00:47:40,960 Speaker 3: I've given at recent funerals and tell me where I'm 887 00:47:40,961 --> 00:47:43,961 Speaker 3: not preaching the gospel. Didn't have the guts to reply, 888 00:47:44,841 --> 00:47:47,321 Speaker 3: and he didn't have a leg to stand on because 889 00:47:47,321 --> 00:47:49,841 Speaker 3: I knew exactly what I was doing, what I was saying. 890 00:47:50,721 --> 00:47:54,721 Speaker 3: And obviously you've got to be engaging, even at a funeral. 891 00:47:55,521 --> 00:47:58,361 Speaker 3: But there's no way I wasn't giving them the hard 892 00:47:58,401 --> 00:48:02,001 Speaker 3: word and challenging them. You were. 893 00:48:02,041 --> 00:48:03,281 Speaker 1: I remember that I was there that day. 894 00:48:03,441 --> 00:48:06,761 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I think I couldn't help but feel, knowing 895 00:48:06,841 --> 00:48:10,041 Speaker 2: your background of pantries prior to that, that there was 896 00:48:10,081 --> 00:48:13,361 Speaker 2: a sense of trust that had come from those quiet 897 00:48:13,441 --> 00:48:18,441 Speaker 2: moments behind bluestone walls, listening to people's lives, listen to 898 00:48:18,441 --> 00:48:21,841 Speaker 2: their struggles, and the empathy that gave you a bit 899 00:48:21,881 --> 00:48:23,801 Speaker 2: of license to tell the truth. 900 00:48:23,921 --> 00:48:26,201 Speaker 3: That's true. But even in that Church of Sagred Heart, 901 00:48:26,241 --> 00:48:29,801 Speaker 3: on the day of Graham Kinnerborough, the Monster's funeral, when 902 00:48:29,841 --> 00:48:32,281 Speaker 3: I came out with that key line, which was the 903 00:48:32,281 --> 00:48:36,480 Speaker 3: most confronting line in the homily, I could see two 904 00:48:36,641 --> 00:48:42,361 Speaker 3: three hundred heads drop. Everyone's head dropped because I'm telling 905 00:48:42,401 --> 00:48:45,361 Speaker 3: them put the guns away. That's got to be the 906 00:48:45,481 --> 00:48:45,881 Speaker 3: end of it. 907 00:48:46,921 --> 00:48:49,561 Speaker 2: There was some sort of crescendo was reached shortly after that. 908 00:48:49,681 --> 00:48:52,721 Speaker 2: I quoted that in my book Big Shots, that exact line, 909 00:48:52,881 --> 00:48:57,201 Speaker 2: and that you understood how high the stakes were. The 910 00:48:57,281 --> 00:49:00,801 Speaker 2: volume was being turned up, and eventually the thing was 911 00:49:00,841 --> 00:49:03,241 Speaker 2: that the cart and Crew weren't really firing back. They 912 00:49:03,241 --> 00:49:05,721 Speaker 2: were coming from a position a relative stream than affluence, 913 00:49:05,961 --> 00:49:08,440 Speaker 2: whereas the Western suburbs, people led by Carl Williams, were 914 00:49:09,041 --> 00:49:11,401 Speaker 2: trying to establish themselves and they had people there who. 915 00:49:11,241 --> 00:49:13,681 Speaker 1: Didn't mind dying in the process. 916 00:49:13,321 --> 00:49:15,440 Speaker 3: Of this well gun for hires. There was a lot 917 00:49:15,441 --> 00:49:18,361 Speaker 3: of young and even more, you know, semi burnt out 918 00:49:18,441 --> 00:49:21,841 Speaker 3: gangsters that were prepared to do the dirty work for 919 00:49:21,921 --> 00:49:24,801 Speaker 3: a price. And some of them are spending long, long 920 00:49:24,841 --> 00:49:27,321 Speaker 3: times in prison. Some of them have been knocked themselves. 921 00:49:27,641 --> 00:49:28,841 Speaker 3: He talked about Andrew Venyuman. 922 00:49:28,881 --> 00:49:31,881 Speaker 2: He'd come from a Greek Orthodox background, great Cypriet family 923 00:49:31,921 --> 00:49:34,921 Speaker 2: from Sunshine, and I went to attend his forty day 924 00:49:35,041 --> 00:49:39,601 Speaker 2: memorial after his funeral he died in early two thousand. 925 00:49:39,361 --> 00:49:43,121 Speaker 1: And four, and all the boys of an older boys 926 00:49:43,161 --> 00:49:46,001 Speaker 1: there and all these young gangsters. They had the spiritual background. 927 00:49:46,161 --> 00:49:49,241 Speaker 2: And I was speaking to the family, and they'd had 928 00:49:49,601 --> 00:49:52,321 Speaker 2: connection with their local clergy and things, and they growing 929 00:49:52,401 --> 00:49:56,121 Speaker 2: up in that environment. And Andrew had this view that 930 00:49:56,161 --> 00:49:59,521 Speaker 2: he was beyond the pale spiritual sense and that now 931 00:49:59,561 --> 00:50:01,161 Speaker 2: he was going to take down as many people as 932 00:50:01,161 --> 00:50:02,801 Speaker 2: he could because he was headed for hell. 933 00:50:04,001 --> 00:50:07,041 Speaker 3: Although when he was killed in the restaurant in Carlton, 934 00:50:07,401 --> 00:50:09,441 Speaker 3: he had a pair of rosary beads in his pocket, 935 00:50:09,801 --> 00:50:12,201 Speaker 3: just like Mario Kunda had a pair of rostary beads 936 00:50:12,241 --> 00:50:14,481 Speaker 3: in his pocket when he was gunned down outside his 937 00:50:14,641 --> 00:50:16,001 Speaker 3: home in Brighton. 938 00:50:16,041 --> 00:50:18,241 Speaker 2: So there's a strong spiritual connection and a sense of 939 00:50:18,801 --> 00:50:20,121 Speaker 2: heaven and hell going on here. 940 00:50:20,481 --> 00:50:23,121 Speaker 3: Well, it's as if there's two different worlds and those 941 00:50:23,121 --> 00:50:26,561 Speaker 3: two worlds interact with one another. And I would have 942 00:50:26,721 --> 00:50:30,361 Speaker 3: had the opportunity of seeing that more closely than most 943 00:50:31,321 --> 00:50:35,440 Speaker 3: clerical repers, the church representatives would have, but all of us, 944 00:50:35,561 --> 00:50:39,201 Speaker 3: you know, if there is a struggle between good and 945 00:50:39,281 --> 00:50:43,001 Speaker 3: evil and self centered and other scented ways of living, 946 00:50:43,481 --> 00:50:46,440 Speaker 3: it's a lifelong kind of journey, and no one gets 947 00:50:46,441 --> 00:50:47,561 Speaker 3: it completely sorted out. 948 00:50:47,561 --> 00:50:49,881 Speaker 2: I don't think not to get to the end. I 949 00:50:49,881 --> 00:50:54,241 Speaker 2: guess it all is revealed or nothing. That's two thousand 950 00:50:54,241 --> 00:50:57,041 Speaker 2: and three four. You completed your work at Pintrick by 951 00:50:57,081 --> 00:50:57,721 Speaker 2: the time, when. 952 00:50:57,561 --> 00:51:00,361 Speaker 3: Did you finish the pend nineteen ninety two. But from 953 00:51:00,401 --> 00:51:03,401 Speaker 3: then I ran this network that I set up Victorian 954 00:51:03,401 --> 00:51:06,001 Speaker 3: Criminal Justice Coalition for the next or fifteen years, and 955 00:51:06,041 --> 00:51:09,201 Speaker 3: we had sixty members, and that would be what's lacking 956 00:51:09,201 --> 00:51:12,321 Speaker 3: at the moment in Victoria around human rights. There's some 957 00:51:12,521 --> 00:51:15,881 Speaker 3: very good individual lawyers and legal advocates doing different things, 958 00:51:16,401 --> 00:51:19,960 Speaker 3: but we had a membership of sixty and we were 959 00:51:20,121 --> 00:51:23,561 Speaker 3: focused on what private prisons, which were just being introduced 960 00:51:23,561 --> 00:51:26,121 Speaker 3: by Jeffrey Kennett or the other parts of the country 961 00:51:26,761 --> 00:51:31,401 Speaker 3: police shootings. There were one stage fifteen shootings a year 962 00:51:31,441 --> 00:51:33,601 Speaker 3: and Victoria compared to about one or two in New 963 00:51:33,641 --> 00:51:36,801 Speaker 3: South Wales. We managed to help stop that because in 964 00:51:36,841 --> 00:51:39,441 Speaker 3: the end more people were being killed with mental illness 965 00:51:39,441 --> 00:51:43,201 Speaker 3: than with criminal records. And then police pursuit. So I mean, 966 00:51:43,241 --> 00:51:45,201 Speaker 3: we saw a pursuit the other day with a couple 967 00:51:45,201 --> 00:51:47,761 Speaker 3: of kids ended up in Burke Street. Again it was 968 00:51:47,761 --> 00:51:50,841 Speaker 3: a stolen car. Now, I don't think the police knew 969 00:51:50,841 --> 00:51:53,761 Speaker 3: that they'd done a serious crime before that, but there 970 00:51:53,761 --> 00:51:57,641 Speaker 3: were thirty plus thousand cars stolen in Victoria every year. 971 00:51:58,561 --> 00:52:01,241 Speaker 3: Ninety five percent of those found the next day with 972 00:52:01,281 --> 00:52:05,481 Speaker 3: an empty tank, not damaged and not having caused any injury. 973 00:52:06,321 --> 00:52:09,121 Speaker 3: But if there's a police pursuit on the risk of 974 00:52:09,321 --> 00:52:13,201 Speaker 3: injury to either the drivers or the car the police 975 00:52:13,201 --> 00:52:18,921 Speaker 3: officers themselves or independent bystanders has increased incredibly. So we 976 00:52:19,241 --> 00:52:22,521 Speaker 3: actually happened to change those the police pursuit policy. The 977 00:52:22,601 --> 00:52:26,401 Speaker 3: Association didn't like it at all, the use of firearms. 978 00:52:26,721 --> 00:52:29,440 Speaker 3: When I was doing the funeral for Colleen Richmond, who 979 00:52:29,481 --> 00:52:32,561 Speaker 3: was the last person killed at that time, she was 980 00:52:32,601 --> 00:52:35,321 Speaker 3: a young Couri woman who was shot dead by police 981 00:52:35,361 --> 00:52:40,121 Speaker 3: outside the Hanniba Welfare Services in Saint Kilda. She had 982 00:52:40,161 --> 00:52:43,241 Speaker 3: a little tomahawk and she was attacking the park bench 983 00:52:43,281 --> 00:52:46,361 Speaker 3: with this tiny hot tomahawk and the staff were worried 984 00:52:46,361 --> 00:52:49,321 Speaker 3: about her welfare and they called the police and two 985 00:52:49,401 --> 00:52:52,241 Speaker 3: young constables turned up, twenty twenty one year olds, and 986 00:52:52,281 --> 00:52:55,281 Speaker 3: they did what they were trained to do. They saw her, 987 00:52:55,401 --> 00:52:58,361 Speaker 3: they clearly called out, dropped the weapon, dropped the weapon, 988 00:52:58,481 --> 00:53:02,281 Speaker 3: and they repeated the warning. She was in a psychotic state, 989 00:53:03,081 --> 00:53:06,001 Speaker 3: she had disobeyed an order and they emptied the revolver 990 00:53:06,161 --> 00:53:09,601 Speaker 3: to her central body, as they were trained to do. 991 00:53:11,121 --> 00:53:13,841 Speaker 3: When I finished the service, we marched down Fitzroy Streets 992 00:53:13,841 --> 00:53:17,001 Speaker 3: and killed her in a big processions. Katani gardens out 993 00:53:17,521 --> 00:53:20,361 Speaker 3: and as were walking along, my mobile goes off and 994 00:53:20,401 --> 00:53:23,121 Speaker 3: who is it but Pat mcnamaro, the Deputy Premier, the 995 00:53:23,161 --> 00:53:25,441 Speaker 3: Minister for Police and Prisons, and he said, Peter, I 996 00:53:25,481 --> 00:53:28,001 Speaker 3: just wanted to let you know that we've had a 997 00:53:28,041 --> 00:53:32,321 Speaker 3: meeting earlier today and we've taken two important decisions, and 998 00:53:32,361 --> 00:53:35,681 Speaker 3: I wanted to tell you straight away that we're going 999 00:53:35,721 --> 00:53:40,481 Speaker 3: to retrain the police in the use of firearms and 1000 00:53:40,561 --> 00:53:43,001 Speaker 3: we're going to disarm the police, and only those who 1001 00:53:43,081 --> 00:53:46,601 Speaker 3: need to carry weapons will carry these weapons. So in 1002 00:53:46,641 --> 00:53:49,601 Speaker 3: other words, police at the MCG don't need to be armed. 1003 00:53:50,561 --> 00:53:54,121 Speaker 3: Maybe they've got someone in reserve who do. So. Come 1004 00:53:54,161 --> 00:53:56,281 Speaker 3: to Katana Gardens and I had to give a speech 1005 00:53:56,321 --> 00:54:00,041 Speaker 3: down there and a TV crewis ruled out. Five o'clock 1006 00:54:00,081 --> 00:54:02,561 Speaker 3: News Channel ten and the six o'clock news, seven and 1007 00:54:02,681 --> 00:54:05,481 Speaker 3: nine carried the story of what the police and the 1008 00:54:05,481 --> 00:54:09,001 Speaker 3: Deputy Premier told me. By the seven o'clock news, the 1009 00:54:09,121 --> 00:54:11,841 Speaker 3: union had worked on him so strongly that the idea 1010 00:54:12,081 --> 00:54:15,561 Speaker 3: of disarming the police had to be dropped and Pat 1011 00:54:15,641 --> 00:54:18,881 Speaker 3: McNamara had to compromise. He couldn't do it, but they 1012 00:54:18,881 --> 00:54:21,961 Speaker 3: did retrain the police in what was called Project Beacon. 1013 00:54:22,601 --> 00:54:24,841 Speaker 3: And the number of deaths that occurred in Victoria from 1014 00:54:24,881 --> 00:54:28,041 Speaker 3: police shootings, as I said, more people with mental illness 1015 00:54:28,041 --> 00:54:31,961 Speaker 3: in the last few years than criminals with records dropped 1016 00:54:32,161 --> 00:54:37,041 Speaker 3: down completely, almost completely, from about twelve fifteen a year 1017 00:54:37,081 --> 00:54:38,521 Speaker 3: to possibly one a year. 1018 00:54:40,001 --> 00:54:43,121 Speaker 2: This work and what you've been doing since reflects I 1019 00:54:43,161 --> 00:54:48,201 Speaker 2: guess that changing balance between the Jesuit priests who comes 1020 00:54:48,201 --> 00:54:51,441 Speaker 2: into the prisons with a social work background and the 1021 00:54:51,881 --> 00:54:55,321 Speaker 2: shift between spiritual and secular emphasis. 1022 00:54:55,761 --> 00:54:59,721 Speaker 1: In the end you leave the priesthood. Did that reflect 1023 00:55:00,001 --> 00:55:02,521 Speaker 1: your own journey or a loss of faith? All? 1024 00:55:03,081 --> 00:55:06,841 Speaker 3: Oh, well, it was I had forty years from the 1025 00:55:06,881 --> 00:55:09,881 Speaker 3: age of eighteen to fifty eight, and I felt that 1026 00:55:09,961 --> 00:55:14,681 Speaker 3: I'd made my contribution. But also when I was only 1027 00:55:14,961 --> 00:55:18,641 Speaker 3: a youngster, the church was at a dynamic stage of development. 1028 00:55:18,761 --> 00:55:22,241 Speaker 3: We had a most of your readers won't know what 1029 00:55:22,281 --> 00:55:24,961 Speaker 3: I'm talking about, but John the twenty third, who was 1030 00:55:24,961 --> 00:55:29,041 Speaker 3: a progressive pope, very pastoral, and it was a time 1031 00:55:29,081 --> 00:55:32,841 Speaker 3: of great engagement. The Jesuits had redefined their mission as 1032 00:55:32,841 --> 00:55:35,641 Speaker 3: the service of faith, of which the promotion of justice 1033 00:55:36,001 --> 00:55:39,921 Speaker 3: is an essential ingredient. So my opening a halfway house 1034 00:55:39,961 --> 00:55:42,761 Speaker 3: for ex prisoners rather than going teaching at Savia Colleage 1035 00:55:42,841 --> 00:55:47,041 Speaker 3: or Riverview in Sydney was a little expression of that. 1036 00:55:47,761 --> 00:55:50,041 Speaker 3: But over the next ten or twenty years we had 1037 00:55:50,041 --> 00:55:53,241 Speaker 3: a very conservative Polish Pope, John Paul the Second, and 1038 00:55:53,281 --> 00:55:56,801 Speaker 3: then an even more conservative pope in Benedict, and the 1039 00:55:56,921 --> 00:56:01,161 Speaker 3: church changed completely and it became far more conservative and 1040 00:56:01,241 --> 00:56:05,041 Speaker 3: far more centralized on Rome. And at the same time, 1041 00:56:05,241 --> 00:56:08,841 Speaker 3: the continued exclusion of women in the church and the 1042 00:56:09,321 --> 00:56:13,761 Speaker 3: most delicate of all the exposure of child sexual abuse 1043 00:56:13,841 --> 00:56:16,681 Speaker 3: within the church, for which the church was using lawyers 1044 00:56:16,721 --> 00:56:19,921 Speaker 3: to protect their own interests. So at the age of 1045 00:56:19,961 --> 00:56:23,281 Speaker 3: fifty eight, after forty years service, I decided I'd had 1046 00:56:23,361 --> 00:56:26,921 Speaker 3: enough and I had another career to pursue before it 1047 00:56:26,961 --> 00:56:30,961 Speaker 3: was too late. And that's the reason I left. Because 1048 00:56:31,841 --> 00:56:34,961 Speaker 3: I hadn't lost faith in Christianity. I'd lost faith in 1049 00:56:35,081 --> 00:56:38,601 Speaker 3: the leadership of the church and at a local level 1050 00:56:38,801 --> 00:56:41,761 Speaker 3: in Australia, the sorts of people who were being appointed 1051 00:56:41,761 --> 00:56:45,081 Speaker 3: as the senior leaders of the church were not people 1052 00:56:45,121 --> 00:56:49,041 Speaker 3: who had the support of mainstream Catholics. They had the 1053 00:56:49,081 --> 00:56:52,521 Speaker 3: support of very conservative elements like Oprah's stay in the 1054 00:56:52,641 --> 00:56:56,601 Speaker 3: Catholic Church. So I don't want to say more about 1055 00:56:56,641 --> 00:57:00,241 Speaker 3: it than that, but from that I then resigned. I 1056 00:57:00,281 --> 00:57:02,561 Speaker 3: was lucky to get an appointment from the Vice Chance 1057 00:57:02,601 --> 00:57:04,401 Speaker 3: that I was in the Melbourne Law School for three 1058 00:57:04,481 --> 00:57:09,161 Speaker 3: years on a professorial fellowship, and then I continued after 1059 00:57:09,201 --> 00:57:12,641 Speaker 3: that teaching at r MIT and legal studies and criminology 1060 00:57:12,681 --> 00:57:16,641 Speaker 3: and mental health and now at Deacon University in an 1061 00:57:16,881 --> 00:57:20,961 Speaker 3: honorary role in criminology. But no I left forty years 1062 00:57:21,041 --> 00:57:25,001 Speaker 3: service I thought was long enough and I had served 1063 00:57:25,041 --> 00:57:28,401 Speaker 3: my time, and I'm glad I made that move. 1064 00:57:29,641 --> 00:57:32,441 Speaker 2: You sacrificed a lot in your life for other people, 1065 00:57:32,801 --> 00:57:34,801 Speaker 2: and you were there for other people in a very 1066 00:57:34,841 --> 00:57:38,161 Speaker 2: turbulent era. Can you look back with a sense of 1067 00:57:38,161 --> 00:57:39,761 Speaker 2: satisfaction and contribution? 1068 00:57:40,201 --> 00:57:44,441 Speaker 3: Oh, yes, indeed. But it's amazing. Not that within myself, yes, 1069 00:57:44,481 --> 00:57:49,121 Speaker 3: but it's amazing people's memory. They wouldn't be aware that 1070 00:57:49,161 --> 00:57:52,121 Speaker 3: a chaplain could be an advocate and get away with it, 1071 00:57:52,841 --> 00:57:55,481 Speaker 3: you know, And I don't think that the church. But 1072 00:57:55,601 --> 00:57:58,321 Speaker 3: now we had quite a number of people working in 1073 00:57:58,361 --> 00:58:02,601 Speaker 3: prison chaplaincy from the Catholic prison ministry. Now there's part 1074 00:58:02,641 --> 00:58:05,041 Speaker 3: time priests who come in for two hours a week, 1075 00:58:06,121 --> 00:58:08,321 Speaker 3: and up until a few months ago there was an 1076 00:58:08,361 --> 00:58:11,721 Speaker 3: eighty five year old nun in charge and as twice 1077 00:58:11,761 --> 00:58:14,321 Speaker 3: as many, if not coming on to three times as 1078 00:58:14,321 --> 00:58:18,201 Speaker 3: many people in prison now as before. So the prison 1079 00:58:18,281 --> 00:58:21,721 Speaker 3: ministry is not about just saying mass and looking after 1080 00:58:21,761 --> 00:58:25,561 Speaker 3: people like that. It's about being a presence a voice 1081 00:58:25,601 --> 00:58:29,041 Speaker 3: of conscience in the institution as well. But to do that, 1082 00:58:29,081 --> 00:58:31,081 Speaker 3: you can't do it on a part time basis. You've 1083 00:58:31,081 --> 00:58:34,201 Speaker 3: got to be pretty heavily involved and engaged. 1084 00:58:38,761 --> 00:58:42,761 Speaker 2: That was Peter Norden, former Penridge Prison chaplain. In a 1085 00:58:42,801 --> 00:58:46,361 Speaker 2: world where inmates find themselves shunned by society and without 1086 00:58:46,361 --> 00:58:50,201 Speaker 2: a voice, his insights into life behind bars remain as 1087 00:58:50,241 --> 00:58:53,241 Speaker 2: fresh and relevant as when he first entered Pentridge in 1088 00:58:53,281 --> 00:58:57,201 Speaker 2: the nineteen seventies. It's easy to demand the longer sentences 1089 00:58:57,201 --> 00:59:01,041 Speaker 2: and more brutal prisons as a solution to crime, but 1090 00:59:01,121 --> 00:59:04,761 Speaker 2: remember almost all of these inmates will eventually come back 1091 00:59:04,761 --> 00:59:07,561 Speaker 2: into society and we'll have to deal with them again. 1092 00:59:08,641 --> 00:59:11,081 Speaker 2: If you have some information that could help solve the crime, 1093 00:59:11,441 --> 00:59:14,921 Speaker 2: please call Crime Stoppers on one eight hundred triple three, 1094 00:59:15,161 --> 00:59:20,001 Speaker 2: triple zero, or email me on Adam Shann writer at 1095 00:59:20,081 --> 00:59:24,081 Speaker 2: gmail dot com. This has been real crime with me 1096 00:59:24,241 --> 00:59:26,161 Speaker 2: Adam Shanned. Thanks for listening.