‘Young and naive’ for evermore

Quadrant Online contributor Peter O’Brien hears a dog that didn’t bark in Western Australia. He writes:

Unbelievable, I thought, before a moment’s reflection restored me to my senses. What am I taking about?  Why, the decision of the WA State Prosecutor to drop 31 fraud charges against Ralph Blewitt, of AWU Workplace Reform Association fame,  because there was ‘little prospect of a conviction’.  This despite the Trade Union Royal Commission finding there was ample evidence of a crime having been committed by Blewitt and his boss Bruce Wilson (pictured above with his “young and naive” bedmate), their efforts abetted by the unwitting assistance of former PM Julia Gillard. On top of that, Blewitt announced his involvement in the scam, a concession one would have thought made conviction a slam-dunk certainty.

Why am I not surprised that Blewitt will never appear in the dock? Could it be because he made it clear he would subpoena Gillard? My assumption is that such an appearance would not redound to her credit. With charges dropped our first female prime minister will not see herself starring in yet another episode which might inflict further reputational damage.

Some might even see a pattern here.

Victoria Police, after initially advising Blewitt, in April 2015, that “he would very soon be criminally charged”  then proceeded to do nothing.  Eventually, they flicked the case to Western Australia, where laborious investigation finally resulted in 31 charges being laid against Blewitt as the sole perpetrator. These charges were due to be heard this month, more than three years after they were initially foreshadowed by VicPol, and over four years since the TURC discerned a case for prosecution.

Is this the death rattle of Gillard’s legal woes, so ardently longed for by her supporters, admirers and defenders? Can she now return to the untroubled life of globe-trotting and photo-opping for the Clinton charity to which she generously donated so much Australian taxpayers’ money?

After all these many years, you might conclude as much. Still, by the very same yardstick of the scandal’s longevity, I wouldn’t want to bet on it.

For a reminder of Gillard’s turn in the TURC witness box follow this link or the one below

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