You can see the despicable Justice Department response to this extremely serious letter by scrolling down, or you can click here. (You can also view the same response as given to me, Vivienne, dated Sept 29th '03.)
From: Reina Michaelson
Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2003 21:39:08 +1000
Subject: The protection of pedophiles by members of Victoria Police and the Dep't of Education
16 September 2003
Dear Premier Bracks,
I am writing to draw your attention to the active participation of members of the Victoria Police and employees of the Department of Education in pedophilia and other related criminal activities, as well as the deliberate protection of these offenders by those responsible for investigating and exposing such offences. My colleague, Ms. Vivienne Legg, has previously written to you to address the same issues but is yet to receive a reply from you or your office. I am sure she will receive a reply from your office shortly. [SEE REPLY.]
Given the gravity and heinous nature of the crimes involved, I hope you will be inspired to take on this case personally in order to ensure that the protection of Victorian children from these terrible crimes may begin immediately. At present, many children under the care and responsibility of your government are continuing to be dreadfully abused or are at risk of serious and ongoing harm by these child-sex-offenders.
During the course of my work as the Executive Director of the Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program (CSAPP) I became aware of the existence of a number of very serious problems in Victoria. These include the following:
1. The protection of a high level child pornography and pedophile network currently operating within Victoria. This criminal network includes members of the Victoria police, prominent businessmen, on and off-air staff and management from Network X, amongst others.
2. The demonstrated protection of this criminal network by members of the Victoria Police and other investigating bodies, including the Ombudsman's office.
3. The active participation of members of Victoria Police in the ritual and sexual abuse of young children from a child care centre in the Mornington Peninsula region.
4. The serious sexual abuse of young children from the Mornington Peninsula region (including the production of child pornography) by a network of powerful pedophiles, including members of the Victoria Police.
5. The protection of the offenders involved and the intentional cover-up of this case by investigating authorities.
6. The serious misconduct of members of Victoria police responsible for investigating related cases, such as the sexual abuse of multiple child-victims from the small town of Goldtown.
7. The continued protection of teacher Dick Newman, who has been proven to have committed repeated acts of serious misconduct (sexual and physical) against multiple students at multiple schools. Dick Newman is currently employed at Essex Secondary College and continues to pose an ongoing and serious risk to the safety of students.
8. The proven corruption on behalf of the Department of Education to continue the appointment of Dick Newman, including the existence of a leaked document demonstrating the Department's conclusion that Dick Newman's invitations for young students to stay back after school and "meet" his penis were not sexual, and thus to exonerate him. (Premier Bracks, it is clear that Victorian parents would not send their child to school if they knew s/he was going to be placed in the care of such a teacher. Would you feel confident leaving your child with such a person? Somehow, I think not).
9. The further corruption on behalf of the Department of Education in dismissing my complaint and exonerating Dick Newman on the stated grounds that "none of the witnesses can corroborate (my) concerns". After contacting the witnesses it was discovered that, of the pool of eight witness provided, only one witness was contacted by the Department. Furthermore, the one witness who was contacted not only confirmed my concerns regarding Dick Newman, but provided ADDITIONAL concerns.
10. The repeated acts of sabotage, perversion of the course of justice and misconduct that have occurred throughout both the Victoria Police's initial investigation into these issues, and the subsequent investigation by the Ombudsman's office.
The investigation by the Ombudsman's office has been ongoing for nearly two years, and has been repeatedly hampered by acts of sabotage, perversions of the course of justice and incompetence by the investigating officers. For example, Senior Detective Jock Westland (Ethical Standards Department,Victoria Police) was seconded to the investigation by Ian Softman (Ombudsman's office). Jock Westland was given information about the existence of a video tape depicting police members actively participating in the ritual abuse of children. He was also given information about the child-victims' independent identification of a house where they were taken to, sexually abused, and filmed. This house was later revealed to be a police officer's home. Jock Westland failed to pass these most serious pieces of information on for further investigation, and when confronted with this, he denied ever having received the information. His denials continued until analysis of phone records, amongst other things, proved that he was lying.
While Jock Westland was subsequently removed from the investigation, Ian Softman refused to investigate the issue further and dismissed the officer's actions as mere "incompetence". However, it is blatantly obvious that Jock Westland's actions far surpassed mere "incompetence". Indeed, Jock Westland committed the most serious acts of perverting the course of justice in this investigation. These perversions of the course of justice related to crimes of the most serious and heinous nature: the participation of police officers in the ritual and sexual abuse of very young children, as well as the victimisation of children in child pornography. I am sure that I do not need to highlight the gravity in which the community views such crimes.
Furthermore, Ian Softman himself has committed serious acts of misconduct throughout this investigation. He has been stood aside from the case pending investigation.
Given the seriousness of all of the issues I have raised, I implore you to familiarise yourself with this case and the ongoing travesty of justice. I am requesting that you personally take it upon yourself to ensure that investigation into these matters is no longer actively sabotaged, corrupted and covered up. I also request that you ensure that all of the offenders in this case, from the pedophiles themselves to those who have been shown to have protected them, are brought to justice and that they face the full force of the law. I would like to highlight that while the unacceptable delays continue, many children are continuing to be subjected to the most horrific sexual, physical and emotional abuse imaginable. These children are under the care and responsibility of your government. But most importantly, you are a decent human being, Premier Bracks, and you are in a unique position to DO SOMETHING!
I am very happy to elaborate on any of the above issues, either in writing or in person.
Yours most sincerely and respectfully,
(Dr) Reina Michaelson
Executive Director,
Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program (CSAPP)
Victoria
Here is the unsigned, undated response Dr Michaelson received from the Justice Department on behalf of the Police Minister, Andre Haermeyer.
Dr Reina Michaelson (csapp@bigpond.com)Executive Director
Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program
Victoria
Dear Dr Michaelson
Allegations of Paedophilia
I refer to your e-mails of 16 September 2003 to the Ombudsman and to the Premier, copies of which were forwarded to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and others. The Minister has asked me to reply on his behalf.
The gravity of the subject matter to which you refer is disturbing in the extreme. Indeed, that community protection is a matter of the highest priority, is further brought into focus when dealing with allegations which directly affect its most vulnerable members.
Given, however, that these very serious claims are still the subject of an on-going Ombudsman's investigation, it would be highly inappropriate for the Minister to now seek to intervene or make any comment. In this context, as an independent statutory officer and accountable to Parliament, the Ombudsman has extensive powers akin to those of a standing Royal Commission. In the circumstances, I am confident that you will readily appreciate that the Ombudsman must be left to carry out his statutory duties and functions without fear or favour and free from any interference. That this requirement is absolute, serves to underscore the political neutrality which is the hallmark of his Office.
Accordingly, whilst I am cognisant of the investigative time taken to date, equally it must be recognised that, despite their considerable interest in the matter, both the Minister and the Premier must also await the outcome of the Ombudsman's current independent investigation.
In the meantime, I thank you for bringing this important matter to the attention of the Minister.
Yours sincerely
Marisa De Cicco
Director
gaiaguys commentsApparently De Cicco read Dr Michaelson's email to the Ombudsman, outlining the grave concerns about it's work to date.
"The investigation by your office has been ongoing for nearly two years, and has been repeatedly hampered by acts of sabotage, perversions of the course of justice and incompetence by the investigating officers. "
and to the Premier...(above)
"2. The demonstrated protection of this criminal network by members of the Victoria Police and other investigating bodies, including the Ombudsman's office."
De Cicco neglects to acknowledge that the Ombudsman's work has been blatantly corrupt and has misrepresented the problem with the Ombudsman's investigation as being merely a time issue (as if that in itself was acceptable under the circumstances). We can assume that this highly paid official does not have this much difficulty with basic comprehension.
Apparently regardless of the Ombudsman Office's track record it should be left to carry out it's investigations. By this theory, it could continue to NOT investigate indefinitely, and probably will. For the Premier and Minister to sit back and not intervene simply because of the Ombudsman's apparent powers, and despite it's track record is irresponsible in the extreme.
De Cicco writes "..community protection is a matter of the highest priority.." To who? This sentence is revealingly ambiguous. This response from De Cicco has clearly indicated that community protection is not a priority to the Police Minister or the Premier. If it was they'd march right over to the Ombudsman's office and see to it that a proper investigation is done so that more children, (and some of the same) are not horribly abused.
At what point is the Ombudsman's office, with it's god-like powers, held accountable? According to this letter the Ombudsman's office is accountable to parliament. If it's actions to date are not sufficient to justify action at a Parliamentary level, when will they be sufficient?
The Minister, the Premier and any other member of Parliament who knows about this should be putting this matter before Parliament if that is truly the only correct avenue. Why wouldn't they?
The Police Minister and the Premier maintain that they have an obligation to refrain from interfering with the Ombudsman's office (an obviously corrupt investigatory body) yet apparently the Ombudsman's office has no obligation to carry out his work without fear or favour.
More could be highlighted about this despicable response, but should be obvious to any thinking reader. We can expect more of this frightening rubbish. Meanwhile what's happening to the child victims of this elite child abuse/pornography ring?!!!!
It should be clear by now that not only do we have these extreme child abusers amongst us at high levels of society, but that our tax payer funded officials and elected representatives are not fit or willing to bring them to justice (and in some cases are themselves child abusers). This is why we ordinary citizens have to take a firmer stance and rearrange our priorities. We have to make the system work. It can't be left to a few individual campaigners and web site activists.
Make sure you read the full story...Protection of elite pedophiles/pornographers in Victoria, Australia A brave and committed young woman exposes an untouchable pedophile and satanic network operating in Australia involving high government officials, leading politicians, television executives, top tv presenters, and the police.
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