Gagging The Victim

 

The gagging of Schapelle Corby, breaching her human right of free speech, was the culmination of a process involving politicians, the AFP and the Australian media. It was driven by fear: fear that she would use her platform to expose the material published by The Expendable Project, which proves corruption and malversation amongst all these parties.

This website logs the many interventions made, as the Australian establishment sought to create pressure, not only within its own borders, but in Australia. The vehicle used was to be the myth of an enormous payment for an interview, a payment which never existed.

Ultimately, the perpetrators of this campaign were successful, in deluding the public, and in provoking the requisite response from Jakarta.

On the very day upon which Schapelle Corby was released, Michael Bachelard, Indonesia Correspondent for Fairfax Media, lengthened his own hostile track record by reporting that "Schapelle Corby's sister Mercedes has separated from her husband, Wayan, but did not inform Bali authorities, even though he is the drug smuggler's guarantor" (10th Feb)

He picked up local gossip, and not only reported it as fact, but scuttled off to the Indonesian Corrections Board, with what, on the face of it, could have severely jeopardised Schapelle Corby's release. The Corrections Board broadly told him to go away.

But Bachelard, colleague of the already discredited Eamonn Duff, was only just warming to the task.

Fairfax Media's entertainment reporter, Michael Lallo, had set the scene by inventing ridiculous offers, which were to be mysteriously made to Schapelle Corby for her first interview, with figures of the order of $3 million dollars being speculated. This was utter fiction, but its impact, in terms of public perception and envy, was clear.

Bachelard, however, used this ruthlessly, parading and flaunting the idea endlessly before the Indonesians, and apparently, probing for a reaction at every turn.

This was not the reporting of events, it was pro-actively provoking and agitating. It was using a Fairfax Media smear to create and build issues at Schapelle Corby's risk and potential expense.

Report after report was filed, and published, often many on the same day.

Everything was to be embellished. Her secure accommodation, away from the goldfish bowl the Australian media had wanted Schapelle Corby to be placed in, was also thrown into Indonesian faces "Schapelle Corby released from Kerobokan prison on parole arrives at luxury spa" (10th Feb)

Bachelard continued to fan the flames, with headlines such as "Bali parole board head visits Schapelle Corby as anger over interview grows" (12th Feb)

Make was no mistake about this. There was no payment for an interview. Channel 7 stated this clearly. Mercedes Corby repeated it. No money changed hands. This was intended to be an interview to enable Schapelle Corby, finally, to speak freely... to expose the truth.

Fairfax Media had, itself, invented the huge payment myth, and Bachelard had employed it endlessly, creating misplaced anger and envy in the process, which finally generated a political response.
Whilst dozens of armed AFP officers in Australia were, with Canberra’s approval, raiding and intimidating staff in Channel 7’s offices, and seizing everything in sight from Mercedes Corby’s lawyer, in Indonesia the reaction was predictable.

Political Intervention

There was a barrage of adverse and derisive commentary from many political corners. Tony Abbott the Prime Minister of Australia, Campbell Newman the Primer of Queensland, Joe Hockey the Federal Treasurer, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, all weighed in with opinion that would ultimately bear consequence for Schapelle Corby herself. Threats to her parole status eventually emerged from Jakarta, along with an instruction preventing her from speaking to the media: in practical terms, a gagging order.

Following Schapelle Corby's release on parole, the hostility of the Australian establishment continued unabated.

It started with speculation and sheer fantasy:

Bidding war for Schapelle Corby's first post-jail interview

Date January 22, 2014

By Michael Lallo, entertainment reporter for The Age.





 EXCLUSIVE

 

The bidding war has begun over Schapelle Corby's first post-jail interview. Photo: Getty Images

Australia's commercial TV channels are locked in a fierce battle for the first post-jail interview with Schapelle Corby – but her family's displeasure with past news coverage and a forthcoming telemovie threatens to de-rail each network's bid.

A source from one station says "everyone will open their chequebooks" for what will "obviously be the interview of the decade".

The Australian public's intense interest in the case – in which Corby was jailed in 2004 after being caught smuggling marijuana into Bali – has led network executives to forecast a huge audience for the broadcast. Most expect it to out-rate previous high-profile interviews, including those with landslide survivor Stuart Diver and mine collapse victims Brant Webb and Todd Russell.

The pair were paid $2.6 million by Channel Nine's then-owner PBL, prompting the agent who negotiated that deal to predict Corby could net almost $3 million. Yet one station insider insists that free-to-air channels "simply don't pay that kind of money any more", suggesting a likely fee around $1 million. (Proceeds of Crime laws may prevent Corby from receiving the money directly.)

With the 36-year-old edging closer to release – having obtained a new Australian passport this week and confirmation she can serve her parole in Indonesia – the networks are now racing to sign her.

But for the prisoner and her family, the highest price is no guarantee of a deal. According to one TV producer who has dealt with them, they have "long memories" and are wary of accepting offers from those they perceive to have burnt them – or intend to burn them.

Traditionally, Seven has been the Corbys' network-non-grata. In 2008, Schapelle's sister Mercedes received a large payout after a jury found she had been defamed by Today Tonight.

This worked to Nine's advantage until the station commissioned a telemovie "inspired" by the book Sins of the Father, written by Fairfax journalist Eamonn Duff. According to one Nine staffer, this displeased the Corbys, who dislike the book. Despite the fact that Nine's news and drama divisions operate independently, those close to negotiations say it could be enough to swing the deal in Seven's favour.

A spokesman for FremantleMedia, producers of the soon-to-screen telemovie, says Duff's book is just "one of many source materials used in the development of the script", which is an "original work".

"I was unaware the family had publicly responded to the telemovie," the spokesman says. "If they have, it certainly had no impact on the development of the script."

Naturally, Seven is capitalising on the family's rumoured nervousness about Nine's movie – and stressing that the senior staff responsible for the Today Tonight drama of 2008 have since left. So far, the strategy appears to be working. Schapelle's mother, Rosleigh Rose, even allowed the network to fly her to Bali recently.

Indeed, Nine now considers itself the underdog, according to multiple sources, despite promising to match any offer from Seven.

The dark horse in this bidding war is Channel Ten, which hopes to reverse its ratings slump, in part, by reinvigorating its news and current affairs offering. Securing the exclusive Corby interview would be a major coup, and incoming news and current affairs chief Peter Meakin is said to be keen to make an offer.

Yet with Seven enforcing a "non-compete" clause after Ten poached him last year, there's nothing he can do until he starts in February. In the meantime, it's up to other Ten executives to chase the deal.

Of course, both Seven and Nine have been reminding the Corbys that Meakin was running Seven's news and current affairs division when Today Tonight defamed Mercedes. The fact that Ten's rivals have deeper pockets does not help its chances.

And whichever network gets the interview will have to walk a fine line. Those familiar with Indonesia's legal system say the courts are unlikely to impose any gag orders on Corby during her parole, giving the interviewer free rein. Viewers will therefore expect rigorous questions but a too-tough stance could be seen as exploiting her. Having suffered severe depression during her imprisonment – and if Corby's mental state is as bad as reported – the interview could be difficult to conduct and may not occur until some time after her release.

All three networks declined to comment but a source from one says the interview is not considered "make or break" for any station. Even if the cost and content is shared across multiple programs, or with a print outlet, it will fill a few hours' airtime at most. While this helps a network's "brand", the source explains, viewing habits tend to return to normal within 48 hours.

But the interview itself will be a boon for the winning station.

"They could have [Corby] reciting the bus timetable and the whole country will still tune in," says another network staffer. "The curiosity factor is enormous. No matter what you think of her or the case, you'll want to see what she looks like and hear about prison and all the details. Everyone will watch."

- with Michael Bachelard

ATTORNEY-GENERAL Jarrod Bleijie will take steps to block convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby from profiting through a $2 million deal with Channel Seven to tell her story.

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman today said he had asked Mr Bleijie to investigate whether state laws to block criminals profiting from their crimes could be applied to the Corby interview deal.

• Kelmeny Fraser
• The Courier-Mail
• February 12, 2014 1:03PM

 

“I am deeply concerned, in fact I’m dismayed that a convicted drug criminal has benefited it appears from a criminal activity and I am asking the Attorney-General to see whether the Queensland legislation, the proceeds of crime legislation, may have some application,” Mr Newman said.

“What we are seeing here is a convicted criminal apparently benefiting from the criminal act,” he said.

“I have the greatest of respect for other countries’ justice systems and we just need to recognise that there was a trial in Indonesia, she was appropriately convicted, she went to jail, and now it appears she is benefiting from this act.

“I don’t think it is very satisfactory whether she can benefit from that.”

Corby left Indonesia’s Kerobokan Jail with her face well hidden from the media throng this week and reportedly striking a $2 million interview deal with Channel Seven.

Campbell Newman could stop Schapelle Corby being paid for interview

INDONESIAN authorities have paid Schapelle Corby an unscheduled visit. 

 

Corby’s parole team visited her at the Sentosa Seminyak resort where she is staying, where they spoke to her, sister Mercedes and brother-in-law Wayan Widyartha.

The parole team later said Corby herself had seemed tired during their meeting and they talked mainly to Mercedes and to Widyartha.

The visit comes as critics voice their disapproval of Corby’s accommodation and reported $2 million interview deal with the Seven Network.

The governor of Kerobokan Prison, Farid Junaedi, told the Denpost newspaper that Corby would be “stupid” to do such an interview.

“On parole, she is still considered as a prisoner, though she’s free and outside,” he was quoted as saying.

“I’ve made it clear to the family that if she’s willing to be interviewed, that would be stupid of her.”

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman has also warned that his government would seek to prevent Corby from profiting from her situation.

Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie

Newman said he would be asking his Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie if payments to Corby could be stopped under Queensland’s proceeds of crime laws.

“I am deeply concerned, in fact I am dismayed, that a convicted drug criminal has benefited it appears from her criminal activity,’’ Mr Newman told reporters in Brisbane today.

Mr Newman said he respected Indonesia’s justice system and its decision to convict Corby.

“I just think we need to recognise there was a trial in Indonesia, she was appropriately convicted, she went to jail and now it appears she’s benefiting from this act and I don’t think it’s very satisfactory.

“So we will look and see whether that Queensland legislation has any application.’’

His comments come after Channel Seven personalities and senior government figures voiced their opposition to the television network’s decision to pay Corby $2 million to tell her story.

Treasurer Joe Hockey and Seven star David Koch are among those who have expressed their distaste over Corby’s possible windfall.

The growing anger comes as details of the convicted drug smuggler’s parole conditions have emerged.

Corby’s parole conditions were laid down and originally signed in August last year.

In that letter, obtained by News Corp Australia, Corby made a series of pledges including to not commit any criminal acts, to not use or distribute any kind of narcotics and to report to the parole authority every month.

Corby also agreed to receive guidance from the parole team and to dress modestly and neatly for the officers.

The Prime Minister of Australia was pressing for Schapelle Corby to be silenced even before she was released on parole

 Schapelle Corby should not sell her story, Tony Abbott suggests  

TONY Abbott has issued a veiled caution to convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby not to profit by selling the story of her nine years in jail. 

AAP 

February 06, 2014 7:47AM

 
Corby could learn as early as tomorrow whether her bid for parole has been successful, opening the way for her release from Bali's Kerobokan prison.

If it's approved, Corby, 36, will serve her parole in the Kuta home of her sister Mercedes and her husband Wayan Widyartha.

There is speculation Corby could be paid millions of dollars for her first tell-all interview.

But the Prime Minister suggested he does not think that should happen.

"The old principle is crime should not pay,'' Mr Abbott told Fairfax Radio.

"But I don't want to say anything on this.

"I wouldn't want to prejudice the outcomes of any discussions that are going on about her tenure.''
He said Corby's case was a high-profile consular case and the ``less public comment by politicians, the better''.

Indonesia's Justice Minister Amir Syamsuddin

Indonesia's Justice Minister Amir Syamsuddin said last night he would make a decision tomorrow on Corby's bid for parole.

"I will finalise all on Friday,'' Mr Syamsuddin said.

"All will be processed equally; no special treatment whatsoever.''

He said there were 1700 applications for parole before him and stressed the Australian's case would be treated the same as the others.

Mr Syamsuddin has already said publicly he can see no reason why Corby's parole bid should be rejected.

Her case was heard in Jakarta last week, but it's not known whether the parole board's recommendation to Mr Syamsuddin was in favour of parole.

The beauty student was 27 when she was caught in 2004 attempting to smuggle more than four kilograms of marijuana into Bali in a bodyboard bag.

She has always maintained her innocence.

Hatchet man Queensland’s attorney general, Jarrod Bleijie,

 

Queensland’s attorney general, Jarrod Bleijie, conceded on Friday that the Queensland state government would be powerless to confiscate any money Corby earned from selling her story.

“Following legal advice, the state is not in a position to pursue the matter further but we would provide any support to the federal government if it was able and chose to do so,” Bleijie said.