UPDATE: FEBRUARY 25, 2008

Dear friends,

Thanks to all of you for contacting so many of the new Labor parliamentarians on behalf of Dawn. They are now - slightly to very - aware of her plight. But more needs to be done: and it's still urgent! They have been told in no uncertain terms than an innocent woman is being slowly executed by ongoing abuse/injustice driven by the legal system, parliament and government bureaucracy...

[See the video at http://jmm.aaa.net.au/ for background to the story; and Dawn's Blog - http://dawnrowansaga.blogspot.com/ for up-to-date news].

The situation at the moment: the Federal Court-appointed Administrator of Dawn's Estate (yes, it's called her 'Estate' even though she is still alive!) has applied a caveat on her property in St. Andrews, outside Melbourne, Victoria. The acquisition of her home could be executed at any moment, at the pleasure of the Administrator. Can you imagine living with this sort of tension - and after 21 years of her life being on hold after the first SA government-ordered bomb landed on her, and her colleagues at the Christies Beach Womens Shelter, in Adelaide (November 1986)?

===>>> Dawn's private psychotherapy/counselling practice has collapsed; she's had almost no income since 2000; she's been critically depressed - a result of the constant cruelty and injustice; she has suffered gross character assassination; she can't pay for insurances, superannuation or financial advice; she cannot participate in any professional conferences; she lost the sponsorship of a World Vision child; she's been unable to pay for home repairs, maintenance, car servicing, dental treatment, holidays, entertainment, recreation, visitors at home, visiting others, household apliance replacements, plumbing improvements, energy and water-saving systems etc. etc.

After 40 years working with people in severe crisis, Dawn is now at 62 left with nothing. What a sad and disgraceful waste, that someone with Dawn's compassion and skill is not able to function for the good of others, particularly those suffering the long-term effects of extreme trauma, which is Dawn's area of specialist expertise.

===>>> What can we do? The Finance Minister, Lindsay Tanner, has the final call. But he is waiting for a recommendation from Jenny Macklin, Minister for Community Services (etc.), the Department responsible for the ongoing execution of the costs order against Dawn. Lindsay Tanner will, we hope, offer an 'Act of Grace/Waiver': which he knows he has the power to exercise.

So: 1. Let us continue putting pressure on any member of parliament we can contact (including your local member) but especially Hon. Jenny Macklin (contact details below). 2. Please send a copy of your letter/email to me - and especially any responses. 3. Please also send me the email addresses of any concerned friends who could be added to this list. 4. Bounce this email to your networks.

Thanks so much.

(Rev. Dr.) Rowland Croucher

*****************************

The Hon. Jennifer Macklin
Minister for Families, Housing,
Community Services and
Indigenous Affairs
149 Burgundy Street (PO Box 316), Heidelberg
Vic 3084
Tel : (03) 9459 1411, Fax : (03) 9457 5721
E-mail: JMacklin.MP@aph.gov.au
Canberra Tel: (02) 6277 7560
Canberra Fax: (02) 6273 412

****

An article by Dawn Rowan: AUSTRALIA - DIRTY POLITICS, DIRTY LAW

Politicians (the government) APPOINT all judges. Party political ideology dictates WHO the appointed judges will be. That is, the Government appoints the individuals they want to perpetuate their political ideology. The higher the court, the more political the appointments.

[For example: John Howard's appointments to the Australian High Court and Federal Court; State Government appointments to the various State Courts; President Bush's highly controversial politically-motivated appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court).

Courts throughout the so-called 'Western democracies' are stacked with POLITICAL appointments for POLITICAL purposes.

Question: What therefore happens when a Government commits a crime against an innocent citizen? More....