Evidence File 2 Chronolgy
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Author Bio
Alan Smith is a small business owner whose dream of running the Cape Bridgewater Holiday Camp turned into an unexpected fight for justice. Soon after purchasing the property in 1988, he discovered persistent telephone faults that crippled his ability to take bookings, communicate with suppliers, and run a viable business. Telstra repeatedly dismissed the issues with the hollow phrase, “No fault found,” leaving Alan and fellow small business operators — later known as the COT Four — battling a system determined to silence them.
As the group uncovered withheld documents, intercepted communications, and a deeply flawed government-endorsed arbitration process, it became clear their struggle was about far more than faulty phone lines. It exposed a pattern of corporate denial and institutional complicity that impacted 21 Australian businesses.
Today, Alan writes to shine a light on this buried chapter in Australia’s telecommunications history and to give voice to those harmed by unchecked corporate power.
The Vote That Changed Everything
On 15 September 2005, a seemingly innocuous event unfolded in the murky world of Australian politics. Senator Barnaby Joyce, in his inaugural year as a representative for the National Party, dispatched 14 letters to a select group of Australian citizens. Little did they know, these letters would soon unveil a conspiracy darker than any could have imagined during their fateful encounter at the Brisbane Polo Club in July 2005.
These 14 individuals were members of the Casualties of Telstra group (COT), each ensnared in a web of manipulation with Telstra between April 1994 and March 1999. Their stories are not mere anecdotes; they are haunting testaments to betrayal, now shared on absentjustice.com and in my upcoming release on promoteyourstory.com.au this December.
In the correspondence to each COT member, Senator Joyce proclaimed:
“As a result of my thorough review of the relevant Telstra sale legislation, I proposed a number of amendments which were delivered to Minister Coonan. In addition to my requests, I sought from the Minister closure of any compensatory commitments given by the Minister or Telstra and outstanding legal issues. …”
He continued with a veneer of optimism:
“I am pleased to inform you that the Minister has agreed there needs to be finality of outstanding COT cases and related disputes. The Minister has advised she will appoint an independent assessor to review the status of outstanding claims and provided a basis for these to be resolved.”
“I would like you to understand that I could only have achieved this positive outcome on your behalf if I voted for the Telstra privatisation legislation.”
A Pivotal Vote, A Historic Betrayal
This pivotal vote wasn’t just a formality; it was a deliberate veering into treachery. Senator Barnaby Joyce etched his name into the annals of infamy, a calculated move that plunged the lives of many into further despair. However, the true horror emerged when Senator Helen Coonan, in a stunning act of betrayal, executed a political back-flip, reneging on her earlier commitments. This act of deceit is starkly captured on this website and serves as the first remedy pursued in an endless struggle against corruption.
For those who dare to dive deeper, despite the overwhelming weight of evidence—45 pages of revelations and hundreds of exhibits—I have chosen Evidence File 2 to expose a sinister plot. Readers may feel daunted, but the truth lurks within, revealing how Australia’s arbitration system was grotesquely twisted by those entrusted to uphold justice and by the defendant, the shadowy Telstra Corporation.
My own journey, chronicled in one of the books presented on promoteyourstory.com.au, recounts three decades spent as a Merchant Navy Seaman. How did I become entangled in this sordid saga? A tragic tale where government bureaucrats schemed to obliterate the credibility of the COT cases, crafting a narrative so insidious that it sought to silence our truth.
In 2025, this narrative rises from the shadows for all to confront. Every reader is invited to explore this story and decide for themselves—will they accept the facade of truth, or will they unravel the sinister reality behind the COT saga?
Read Evidence File 2 to uncover the chilling truths that lie beneath the surface....