Crownies (2011) s01e13 Episode Script
Episode 13
1 This brief came straight to the director.
It is highly sensitive, and cannot - I repeat, cannot - leave this office.
Not a problem.
And now it's alleged that, two years ago, the current Attorney-General, Nicholas Quinn, the Premier's right-hand man, lured two female parliamentary cleaners to his rural property where he held them against their will and committed numerous serious sexual assaults on them.
I want us to pursue Quinn.
Quinn Quinn? I've reviewed the file.
I believe there's a case to answer, and I want him to answer it.
Well, I'm Danny Novak's daughter.
All through high school, I was called âthe Gangstefs Girlâ.
I like you.
Alright? I don't see a problem with other people knowing.
The Blaustein jury's out.
That means Tom Fraser's available.
He's a very fine QC.
And he's from out of town.
It's a good fit for the Quinn prosecution.
Oh, I don't think there's any need to bring anyone in from outside.
That would be extravagant.
Now you're worried about the budget? Rhys Kowalski will do a great job.
I'm giving him entire conduct.
And, anyway, why should we throw any more resources at this just because we're going after a politician? A former attorney-general.
Who should be treated the same as any other defendant who will come after you with the proverbial baseball bat.
I don't think that'll be solved by bringing in a Melbourne silk.
Rhys is one of the best.
And keeping it in Rhys's hands means you can still call the shots.
Not at all.
That would be inappropriate.
Who's the lucky solicitor instructing Rhys? An up-and-comer.
Me? On the Quinn case? That's great.
Are you sure? Absolutely confident.
Rhys is happy to have you as well.
Welcome aboard.
I've got a pile on my desk this high and I'm in court all day tomorrow Tracey's already farming out your other matters.
You know my father's got a history with Nicholas Quinn too? There was a preselection shit-fight.
I remember.
Intimidation, branch stacking, dirty tricks on both sides.
Pretty standard preselection, then.
You'll be at the end of a very long bar table.
No-one's gonna join those dots.
You know I'm a suspect on the leak investigation.
Which makes no difference to the prosecution.
Assemble the chain of evidence, marshal the facts, present the case, and remember the standard sage advice.
Don't fuck it up.
That would be bad.
For all of us.
Concentrate on the victims' police statements.
You're meeting the Romanian girl shortly for pre-committal conference.
Her friend's coming in tomorrow.
I'm meeting them? I'm due in court now.
And tomorrow's the Joanne Mervich sentencing.
Just let 'em know what to expect and make a judgment about how they'll go under cross-examination.
But no coaching? Ask the hard questions, but, Ben, ask 'em gently.
You're messing up my whiteboard.
Well, I warned them, but did they listen? Tatum, you can add Ben's bail application to your pile.
Keep a drug trafficker locked up.
Of course.
Drugs are bad.
What's Ben doing? He's stepped up to bigger things.
Not as big as Janet.
She's really piling the weight on.
Uh, it's called being pregnant.
I'm sure she'll make an official announcement as soon as she feels ready.
Why bother? She put up one of those creepy, alien ultrasound photos in her office ages ago.
You people never notice anything.
Oh, just the man.
Here's an assault hearing for you.
Tomorrow.
Not enough time to mess that one up.
Tomorrow? Any questions, ask Ben.
We're all picking up after him today.
Guess who's instructing the Quinn case.
- Oh! - Wow.
David thinks you're hot.
Yeah, or dispensable.
Congratulations.
Good to see the odd disaster isn't held against us.
Oh, gee, thanks, mate.
Did they ever find the turtleneck jumpers, the lead weights? Nope, not even the glass dildo.
Worse luck.
No forensic evidence, no crime scene evidence and no medical evidence.
Just the statements of the two women.
Who waited two years before going to the police.
Oh, maybe you can stop them leaving the country this time.
That's funny.
Is it? Yeah.
OK.
Who's organising the sweep for this one? I probably should.
2O bucks says you won't get past the committal hearing.
I'll back myself to take that.
You're on.
Richard? Betting on a rape trial? Mm-hm.
I don't think so.
Scared.
OK.
Oh, no, no, no, no.
No.
No way.
This guy's my hero.
I can't prosecute him for assault.
Aw, you still have heroes? Scientist heroes.
Steve Coburn is trying to save human civilisation.
Coburn, the global warming guy? He's a lead author for the IPCC.
He's a climatologist who put together a global temperature reconstruction going back 12,000 years.
So he's a geek.
He's been on 'Four Corners'.
A huge geek.
And on 'Oprah'.
Mmm, slightly cool.
And the alleged assault? He punched a climate change sceptic, James Watt.
Watt runs a blog, CO2 Fraud.
It's mostly anti-science crap.
Sounds like a fun day in court.
You haven't had a win yet, have you? Just please take it off my hands.
This Watt guy is coming in today.
I can't go behind Tracey's back.
Why don't you talk to her? Maybe Ben's free.
It was Ben's case to start with.
He's on Quinn now.
Ben McMahon is briefing Rhys? Bringing all of his sensitivity to bear.
Tatum's running the book for him.
Nadia, hi.
Will Mr Quinn be there? Yes, but he won't be saying anything.
The committal hearing is used to present the evidence in your police statement to the court, and you'll be asked if you wanna change anything.
Why would I want to change? It's just procedure, Nadia.
If you're sure the statement is the truth and there's nothing you wanna add.
Truth? Yes.
Alright.
And your statement will become an exhibit.
Now, Mr Quinn's lawyers are gonna ask you some questions about your statement.
It's called cross-examination.
How many questions? Could be one or two, or a lot.
They'll be testing you on your story and you.
They'll be asking why you've taken two years to tell the police about Nicholas Quinn.
We are afraid.
Look, try not to cry straightaway, if you can.
And if you can manage a longer answer.
He is a big, important man behind his big glass desk! He says he's in charge of all the police and all the courts.
We say anything about what happened, no-one will believe us.
Do you believe? Sure.
Take a seat.
So why did you come forward now? My friend Bintu, she says she's going to police.
So there's not much choice.
Why do people insists on using AVOs as a blunt instrument against their partner? Beats using a real blunt instrument.
Ms Badir, I left a brief with you.
Detective.
I gotta get back to the office.
Actually, it was a pair of briefs.
I know! They've been shoved under my bed for a week.
You could've washed them for me.
I thought you were stuck on the Central Coast indefinitely.
Armed robbery investigation.
Well, we made an early arrest.
I'm very good.
Huh.
Well, you better come over and pick up your tighty-whities.
I was hoping you'd say that.
Tonight? I'll text.
Erin's been out every night this week, so, um l like your chances.
That Sunday afternoon on October 10, two years ago.
I wake up on the bed.
It's in Mr Quinn's country house, near Bowral.
What time was this? Four o'clock.
How can you be so sure? A clock by the bed.
It was the first thing I see as I wake.
What happened then? I feel frightened.
My hands are tied with a belt, and I'm wearing not much.
What were you wearing? Uh a top, wool.
A high-neck jumper.
But there are holes cut.
In court, you need to say it out loud so that it goes on the record.
Um there are holes.
My breasts are showing.
And you say your hands were tied.
Were they in front or behind you? In front.
You had just a jumper on.
Anything else? No.
I am bare.
Was there anyone else in the room with you? Bintu is next to me.
She is tied, hands and feet.
And she's crying.
This is your friend, Bintu Sesay? Yes.
And Mr Quinn is there.
And he's naked, but he has a little mask.
And then he sees I am awake and he comes over and His face is very close to mine.
And I feel his breath, and it's hot.
And he has something in his hands.
And I feel this thing against my skin.
It's cold.
And he In court, Nadia, I'm sorry you're gonna have to say it out loud.
Sprung! Can you tell how it's going from 10m away? Well, Ben hasn't put his head on the desk and burst into tears yet, so I'm taking that as a good sign.
You're worried he might? Uh the women's statements differ.
Well, maybe Rhys should be in there with him.
Mmm, Ben's sharp enough, but he's green.
If she survives him stomping all over her statement, she'll survive in court.
And if he accidentally coaches the witness, well, just put it down to inexperience? Do you really think I'm that manipulative? Anything arrive for me? Mail delivery? Mail goes to the mailroom, Tony.
It's a novel arrangement, I know.
And witches live in the forest, Tracey.
But God knows, there are exceptions.
How did you come to be at his holiday house? One night, he said, âCan you do job for me? âCome clean my country house, just a few hours work.
âAnd then stay, enjoy, swim in the pool.
â Did Mr Quinn say he'd be there? He said he would not be there.
Did you discuss this offer with your friend? I'm not sure, but Bintu, she says, âWhy not? âWhy should we not get to enjoy the big house too, have a holiday?â So I said yes, and we went up next weekend on Saturday.
Did Mr Quinn give you a key? Oh, there's a hiding place under a rock.
We got in and inside's clean already, but we work for two hours anyway.
And then we watch the big TV, eat frozen pizza.
You had fun? Saturday was good.
Sunday What happened Sunday? Mr Quinn drives in.
Did you notice anything about the car? It is one of the government cars, but I don't remember the number.
It's just him.
No family, no driver.
He's smiling and talking a lot.
Bintu makes food, and there are drinks, champagne.
Who was making the drinks? Mr Quinn is giving drinks.
And we are laughing.
But then I feel drunk quickly and very tired.
What happened then? Next, I wake up and it's four dclock.
So after this happened, is that when Mr Quinn threatened you? He said terrible things will happen if we say even a word.
And that this is our fault, he said.
And then he drove off into the night, just one tail-light looking back at us, like an eye, always watching.
And then you went back to your job as a cleaner in the office? Yes.
How how could you do that, Nadia, after what happened? Is my only job.
it's all I know.
If I quit, what then? Hi.
How's it going in there? You heard the news? Sure.
Bit of a trophy brief for you.
More like a poisoned chalice.
Oh, it's going that well? My first complainant's a mousy Romanian woman - a bit timid, inclined to tears, and looks shifty.
Two soy flat whites, please.
She won't make a good witness? She's putting everything in the present tense.
It sounds like she's making it up as she goes along.
If you're gonna learn English, at least learn more than one tense at time.
How's your conversational Romanian? I swear, if these women don't work as witnesses, we have got zip.
Quinn's alibi? He says he was alone that Sunday with his phone switched to MessageBank.
Some ârare down timeâ.
Convenient.
Thanks, mate.
Nadia says he turned up in a government vehicle, but all the fleet is accounted for the whole weekend.
So the police can't place Quinn anywhere except at home.
So it's his word against theirs? Always has been.
I swear David's gonna burn the DPP down over this, and me with it.
I think being drugged and raped is no picnic either.
Maybe that's what David's thinking about.
Thank you.
Yes, I, uh l am that Watt.
Which what? The Watt.
My ancestral namesake invented the steam engine.
Uh, we need to talk about the hearing tomorrow, go through your statement to the police.
Sure, know it by heart.
Well, I'll step you through it with some questions.
Why did you attend Professor Coburn's book launch that day? I went to put some questions as a concerned of the public.
Did you get a chance to do that? Yes.
During his presentation, I asked him about the greenhouse effect and how it contravenes the second law of thermodynamics.
Is that when he punched you? No.
No, he suggested I read a book by some other warmist - usual rubbish.
Did you speak to him again? Yes.
I asked another question from the back.
Was he aware that the modern temperature record was utterly corrupt? They put thermometers next to air conditioning units and on airport tarmacs.
You asked him that? Yes, exactly.
So you think a few thermometers at airports accounts for all of the late 20th century rise in recorded temperatures globally? With El Nifio thrown in, yes.
And the rise in ocean temperatures? The receding glaciers? The earlier spring flowering? The earlier bird and animal migration? The collapse of Arctic summer ice cover? Was that in my police statement? Not really.
Oh.
Then why ask it? I'm demonstrating how upset Professor Coburn may have been with your line of questioning.
It goes to motive.
Mmm.
Right.
Ah, Tracey, delivery for you.
Where did you get that? I think a courier left it.
Has it been vetted? Security has an X-ray machine for this sort of thing.
I don't think Put the package down and step away.
Now! Oh, gently! Who would send you a bomb, Tracey? Apart from, you know, everyone you work with here.
Who do you think? The DPP is treading on a lot of toes.
We have to be careful.
I don't think Nicholas Quinn is the bomb-making type.
I've read the case notes.
Nicholas Quinn is capable of anything.
You bloody beauty! This is the saddle from the back of Starburst the day Benny Duggan rode him to first place in the third at Flemington.
One of your nags.
Well, the only one that placed at Flemington.
I heard Benny was selling his stuff.
Isn't it magnificent? But why did it come to me? Well, I addressed it to you.
I'm in and out all the time.
You're always here, nailed to the desk.
A bit anal retentive.
Did I get that right? Then Hmm.
Then I asked him about the uncertainties in cloud feedbacks.
Was that during his talk or afterwards? Um, after.
Most people leaving by then.
Coburn was in a bit of a hurry too.
How rude.
I asked him if he really thought modern temperatures were higher than during the medieval warm period.
He was telling me to go away by then.
Did he appear angry? Yes, well, his whole climate science house of cards was crashing around him.
And then you asked one last question? Yes.
Top of the stairs in the bookshop.
I got around in front of him.
And I asked him why he'd lied about the missing tropospheric hot spot.
âLiar,â I said.
More than once? Yes, a few times.
Then he hit me in the face.
I fell down the stairs.
I could've been killed! Ugh.
Well, Professor Coburn will say you tripped.
Yes, well, he's a climate scientist.
Man'll say anything.
Enjoy meeting Mr Watt? You've heard of purgatory? He makes a lot of good points.
Do you know how many thermometers are sitting next to air conditioners? Where have you people been for the last 10 years? Does nobody give a rat's about the planet?! I file the environment under âGod's creation" and leave it to him, so I do think we'll be fine.
Those of us with the faith.
Suck it up, Richard.
Remember Article 2 of the manual.
âPersonal feelings of a prosecutor towards the alleged offender or victim âmust never come into play.
â I'll try to remember that.
Maybe get it tattooed on my arse.
I said I'd pick you up, a few drinks, go clubbing for a bit.
Can't, babe.
Sorry.
Well, let's at least get a bite to eat, 'cause I'm starving.
Well, let's do noodles at home, and then I've got this extra pile Tracey's dumped on me.
You've got till 10:00, and I want you in bed.
I've got some ideas.
I'm right here, guys, not deaf.
Con, do you remember Jack Pugliese? Bit before my time.
Colourful racing identity.
He wore really bad suits.
Dad knew him.
Oh, right.
The police have arrested a Rose Pugliese - his daughter, I think.
Bringing some dope down from the North Coast.
Traffic cannabis.
How much? Bit over a kilo.
The police want me to oppose bail.
What, for a kilo? That's a bit harsh.
She claims she was trying to make some quick money to pay her kid's medical bills.
- Yeah, right.
- The boy has cerebral palsy.
And that poor kid without a mum Article 2.
âPersonal feelings of the prosecutorâ Oh, shut up! I got this really weird text.
It said, âGet your hot naked bod into bed over here now.
â Oh, that sounds so slutty when you say it out loud.
I know.
But it was unsigned.
Though there's only three or four women it could be, really.
Where's Erin? She's at Gar's Bar.
The night's young.
So you'll be the guy who instructed the guy who took down Nicholas Quinn.
That's almost worth celebrating.
There is no guarantee.
He could walk away.
The complainant today, Nadia, she she might not be good enough.
She's not great when she has to give her evidence.
Reliving every detail of the rape, you mean? Yeah, well, it comes with the territory.
Look, I know it must be hard You see why so many rapes go unreported? It takes incredible guts just to say it, even once.
Sure, but this is when she has to spit it out in my office, in front of me, and I'm on her side.
Imagine what it's like to go through court.
You plonked her in a chair in your office and sat behind a desk in a sharp suit and asked her awkward questions.
Yeah, doing my job.
OK, so try to imagine what that felt like for Nadia.
You looked and sounded exactly like the arsehole who did this to her.
Hey, Quinn's got 30 years You're an alpha male authority figure giving her a hard time.
It's lucky she stayed with you five minutes.
That's crap.
And if this is so hard on Nadia, then is it worth us even prosecuting? Don't you dare go soft on this.
Hey, it's not up to me, it's up to her Rapists are shit! I want them all dead! Steady.
50"')!- I see too much of this.
Every day, I bet.
When that trial starts and Nadia Tesla takes the stand, she'll get to tell the world what he did to her, whether she's good enough or not.
After that, a conviction is just a bonus.
Hello? Shit.
Sorry.
There's, uh pizza in the fridge, if you haven't eaten.
Thanks.
I'm right.
Sorry I didn't make it down to Gar's.
It's OK.
You were busy.
I thought you were out.
The bathroom door wasn't shut properly.
Not your fault at all.
Well, if we're gonna do the one-night stand thing, we better have a signal.
What do guys do? Sock on the door handle? Hey, Erin.
Hey.
I could, if you're No.
Best go.
Yep.
Um See you.
So you and Andy not just tonight? No.
How long? I'm I'm not counting.
Everybody counts.
Nine months.
No.
What? We were just talking about the man drought.
You didn't say What is your problem? Why all the sneaking around, the secrecy? Well, it's my private life.
That I share with you.
We share this house.
Oh-ho, I see.
Thanks very much! Look, I'm I'm I'm sorry, but can you please keep this secret? Oh, God, why?! Well, you know.
Cops and lawyers, it's it's frowned upon.
Pfft, there's no law against it.
Tracey'd find one.
Fuck Tracey.
She's no excuse.
Why couldn't you tell me? Look, I'm sorry, OK? I You're also work.
L-I needed to keep this separate.
And all this time, you're on at me about Rhys Kowalski as though I'm the one with the secret affair.
That's that's different.
Oh, because he's married? Please! The moral high ground doesn't suit you at all right now.
Rhys and Paula are in counselling, that's what's different! You did that! Their problems are not my fault.
Are you kidding yourself? I've seen the way you look at him.
I told you, we walked away.
Maybe Rhys walked.
But you're still standing there, hoping he walks right back.
Morning.
No media scrum.
They all ran off to the underground car park ramp.
Joanne was driven in.
More fabulous pictures for the six o'clock news.
Mmm.
You ready? Any chance the judge'll give her a suspended sentence and a good talking-to? Slim.
No second chances when a girl makes a mistake.
Well, not when the mistake is huge.
And planned.
And inevitable.
Her emotions had already got the better of her.
We have to learn to control our emotions.
Otherwise, life's not possible, is it? It's time.
Mr Watt, good morning.
Yes, chilly for this time of year, isn't it? So much for global warming.
Glad I wore the suit.
It's not too much, is it? Should I lose the tie? No, no, the court likes ties.
Good.
I was wondering whether I'd get the chance to address the court.
Sure, you'll be asked questions, you'll answer them.
No, like a victim impact statement.
Give me a chance to put those greenies and their scientists If you use the court as a soapbox, the magistrate will come down on you hard.
It wouldn't be good for your case.
Oh, good point.
You're sharp.
Or you could just wing it, see what happens.
Oh, here he is.
Enjoying your last day of sunshine, are you, Professor? - Leave it.
- Richard Stirling! Mr Bernard.
It's a small industry.
Are you the solicitor on this one? Mm-hm.
I'd have failed more of your essays had I known.
I'm just requesting a 10-minute recess.
Sorry? You have to help me.
What? Jasper Bernard is the defence.
He was my ethics lecturer at uni.
Is this the Steve Coburn matter? Yeah.
What are the odds? I'm prosecuting my climate science hero and taking on my all-time favourite law lecturer.
Mate, you're piling up the man-crushes pretty fast.
I'm starting to get worried.
Bernard's gonna pull me to pieces in there.
Well, that's great, isn't it? Then your hero will be acquitted.
No, it's not great.
My name is on the Steve Coburn file for all time, so I still stink and I get humiliated in court.
Do you believe James Watt? Do you think Coburn hit him? God, yes.
He's very punchable.
Right, well, then you've got the facts on your side, and truth, stuff like that.
So you go in hard.
The truth? Since when does that guarantee anything? You're right, so you're probably gonna die at the bar table.
But sometimes that's our job.
10 years? Joanne Mervich swapped one hell for another.
Pretty harsh.
It's on the radio already.
Yeah, battered wife syndrome means stuff-all, apparently.
She was tortured systematically for years, and now we've put her in jail.
Oh, great, another important early morning conference with Detective Campbell.
No.
Actually, I'm here to see Ms Novak.
Why don't you just kiss him here, in front of everyone? Tatum'? Oh, I see.
If you say it out loud, that makes it real.
That's bull.
I get it.
You're not sure he's Mr Right.
You're keeping all your options open.
I hear you're doing the Rose Pugliese bail hearing today.
I'll do what I can.
The assumption in favour of bail still applies.
Why do you wanna keep her locked up? It was only a small bag of happy tobacky.
Hey, it was over a kilo.
And she's in that drug syndicate up to her tits.
Her tits aren't in the case notes.
What I see is a humungous surveillance operation that only grabbed one woman with a plastic bag of weed.
She's a flight risk.
She's got priors.
She's got criminal connections.
What does her family have to do with anything? Did I mention her family? Are you disputing my instructions? I will oppose bail as requested by the police.
I'm I'm just saying I might not win this one.
Bintu, you're from Sierra Leone, aren't you? Port Loko? Yes.
Lots of very busy Catholics near the coast there.
A mission school taught me English.
Have you kept up with the church here? I go to St Kevin's in Mt Druitt.
St Kevin's, I know that one.
They restored that beautiful stained glass.
Ben McMahon will be talking with you today.
If he gives you any trouble, ask for me.
Mr Watt, could you tell us, the court, your reasons for attending the launch of Professor Coburn's book World Climate in the 21st Century'? Yes, I just wanted to ask a few questions.
Primus - do CO2 levels lead temperature in the Professor's reconstruction or do they lag? Secundus - where is the evidence for climate sensitivity Thank you, Mr Watt.
Um, quite short answers will be really good today.
Well, there are no short answers in climate science.
The warmists like to complicate the physics.
Actually, if we could just The matter is an alleged assault.
Mr Crown, if you could keep your complainant on topic, perhaps.
Your Honour.
Mr Watt, you asked a number of questions during the Professofs presentation.
And then you approached him afterwards So you were standing at the top of the stairs, correct? Yes.
Your back to the stairs, firing questions at Professor Coburn? Yes.
Did you prod him with your finger? Yes.
Did you call him a liar? Yes.
You were getting worked up at that point? Yes.
And then you stumbled and fell down the stairs backwards? Yeah.
No! I mean, I was pushed PUNCHED! Pushed or punched? There's a difference.
Punched! I mean, I saw his fist come towards me, and then I was falling.
So his hand flew at you.
It looked like a punch was coming.
Yes.
How would it have looked if Professor Coburn had been reaching out to steady you, to stop you from stumbling backwards - to save your life, perhaps? You don't steady someone by punching them in the jaw.
Everything here is what happened.
How many times are they gonna make me say it? No more than we have to, Bintu.
See, the way the justice system works Whatever.
I'll do what I have to to put that man in jail.
Now, in your statement, you say you were on the floor of the bedroom when Nadia woke.
Yes.
Nadia says that you were in the bed with her.
I was on the bed and on the floor many times.
On the floor, he would lie on me with his fat fingers everywhere and his hard-on.
On the bed the bed was for his objects.
But when Nadia woke Maybe she woke before I knew it.
We didn't have a nice chat.
Bintu, part of my job is to anticipate what Mr Quinn's defence counsel is gonna ask you.
Now, he won't go through all your evidence again.
He'll just go after the parts where your account doesn't match Nadia's.
Nadia and I never spoke about what he did.
We didn't compare stories.
We made nothing up.
If I was on the bed or off, so what?! This is all the truth.
Oh, what now? I had it X-rayed.
You never know.
Oh! That's just sad.
First a saddle, now a whip.
That's a party.
Oh, Benny Duggan's whip from The day he won the third at Flemington.
Yes, take it home, Tony.
Put the saddle in your car as well and get it out of here.
I won't - it's office decoration.
It's been in contact with a sweaty horse.
It smells.
It's a bit of history.
There are OH&S rules, Tony, that we all abide by.
Oh, bullshit, Tracey! Just because you dole out the cases doesn't make you Queen of the DPP! There's a limit to your empire and it stops at my office door.
We're tenants.
I'll check the by-laws You've got a miserable birdcage That is a pet and is quite different.
False imprisonment.
Don't make me issue a writ of habeas corpus for Atticus, Tracey! Give your whiteboard to the cleaner to fill out.
We could all do without you very well.
What did you do when you came home after that weekend? I went back to work, with Nadia too.
Cleaning the government offices? We were frightened of him.
We had to work.
It was all we knew.
That's what Nadia said.
There are other cleaning jobs, Bintu.
Why go back to the office of the man that raped you? That's what Quinn's defence is gonna keep coming back to.
I mean, if you were frightened, why not run away? Why not get a job in Darwin? Get a job He threatened our families, OK?! He said we'd never get family reunion visas for them.
He said we'd never be allowed back in if we left Australia to visit them.
He said to shut up and act normal, or this will happen.
So you saw Quinn again? Of course.
He was around smiling just as if nothing Did he mention the assault at any time? No.
Until a few weeks later.
He said the country house needed cleaning again.
We said no.
A day later our boss tells us we're no longer needed at work.
âNot enough jobs.
" Bullshit.
You were sacked? I lost my flat.
I lost everything.
So why did you come forward when you did? There was a lady a social worker.
I had to tell someone what I had suffered.
So I told her.
And it was strange.
What was strange? She didn't cry or pat me.
She was angry.
She said Quinn had to be stopped or he'd do it to others.
Her anger made me angry.
And I gave that anger to Nadia.
And I want everyone in this country to be angry too.
Show the court how you reached out.
James Watt is there, in your face.
He was prodding me and, um .
.
ranting as usual.
But then he starts to stumble backwards and I just threw out my hand.
I was trying to grab his lapel, but, um I'm sorry I didn't get a better hold.
Well, it all happened quickly.
Yes.
Did your hand, um contact his face accidentally? I don't know.
It may have.
Did you punch James Watt? No.
Were you trying to stop him falling? Yes, that's all.
Very well.
No further questions.
Mr Crown'? Professor, Mr Watt was known to you before the book launch? Oh, yes.
Whenever I appear in public, Mr Watt is always there.
Lectures, conferences, TV panel shows.
Always with the same questions.
Which you've answered? Many, many times.
His website is full of the stuff, and much of it could be answered by anybody after about an hour's research.
So when he asks you about CO2 lagging temperatures after the Ice Age That's because a warming world releases CO2, but then the greenhouse effect causes extra warming.
It must be frustrating having to explain that basic fact.
Over and over again? Yes, very.
And then he asked you about the medieval warm period.
Are you sick of that question too? Surely.
That was probably a Northern Hemisphere event And today's temperature rise is global, isn't it? Exactly.
He says there were no four-wheel drives back then, even in the Northern Hemisphere.
Carbon dioxide is not the only driver of climate change.
It's just the one we have to worry about this century.
And that we have some control over.
Yes, thank you.
Exactly.
Mr Watt got in front of you and poked you in the chest.
Yes.
He called you a liar.
Yes.
More than once.
Yes, yes, yes.
Then he tells you the sun Mr Stirling.
God, yes! I mean, as if we hadn't noticed the sun! And then he asks you about the sun one more time, as though he's heard nothing that you've said to him, as though he's studied none of the basic science, as though he thinks that the world's climate scientists are a pack of blind fools.
That's quite enough! Exactly! Yes, yes, yes! - I'd like to punch him right now.
- Mr Stirling! It must've just felt so good to push your fist into his stupid flapping jaw! Absolutely.
It was fantastic.
Objection! Guilty is a fantastic result.
The world can now see how the warmists resort to violence when they can't win the argument.
Were you paying attention in there? $1,000 fine? What's that all about? First of fence, citizen of good standing.
And it's not really a fine.
It's more of a donation to Greenpeace, so Nice advocacy, Stirling.
Unorthodox.
You're quick on your feet.
Thank you.
I have to say No, you don't.
Take the win, enjoy.
Stay away from me, Watt.
At a thousand bucks a go, another poke at you might just be worth it.
He's hurting.
I can tell.
Now, you certainly have to let me buy you dinner.
Normally, we're meant to politely decline dinner invitations.
Um, but this time, can I say go and do some real science for a change.
And bugger off! She's been through the same crap as Nadia Tesla.
She's just reacting differently - she's angry.
Unfortunately, anger doesn't play as well with the jury.
Well, we only have one magistrate to worry about.
The prosecution is only as strong as its weakest witness.
They'll both be judged if Bintu lets us down with some outburst.
She won't.
She's articulate, David.
And she's believable.
And she wants some good to come of this.
She just put in for crime compensation.
Yesterday.
I've just been informed.
The two-year deadline was almost up, and someone from Witness Services got to her.
How much? 20 grand and a trip home to Sierra Leone.
The defence are gonna paint her as greedy and opportunistic.
She's had a tough couple of years.
We can talk that point around.
We can, David.
Hello again.
You said you were from St Kevin's.
A lady I knew from the Catholic Women's League moved there.
Bernadette Tighe.
I know Bernadette.
Talked to her many times.
She runs the Social Justice Committee.
I'm sure she does.
I've read your statement, Bintu.
I'm very sorry for what happened to you.
Mostly, I get mad.
Oh, I get mad.
Sometimes.
It's one way to cope.
But then I fall to pieces.
They're making you go over it again and again.
I think it's because I'm guilty.
I talked Nadia into talking to the police.
She didn't want to.
You did well.
You're both very brave.
And I talked her into going on that weekend to Quinn's farm.
You weren't to know.
But I did.
In a way.
Sorry? I thought Mr Quinn might turn up for fun.
You were expecting to have sex? He seduced me one night in the office, a night Nadia was off sick.
So when he talked about coming to the country You had consensual sex with Nicholas Quinn? That wasn't in your statement to the police.
Of course not.
It has nothing to do with the rape.
And Quinn isn't gonna bring it up, is he? Please, this is a secret.
No-one can know I made love to that pig.
Ready to talk some more? Do you know what this is? A device for torturing large animals? Sometimes a filly needs coaxing to do her best.
I'm really looking forward to making Crown Prosecutor, Tony, so I can fill my big office with eccentric crap.
I've just had Detective Campbell in my ear and he seemed to think you're gonna run dead in this Rose Pugliese bail application.
I'm not.
Even though the cops are just trying to cover their arse after a bungled operation.
I remember Jack Pugliese.
We never prosecuted successfully.
His little girl used to come to court sometimes.
His little girl should've been kept out of it.
Clearly.
Dads can be a bad influence.
Or they can inspire.
Are we done? Just pick your battles with the police carefully.
Fight 'em on principle, not on gut reaction.
HEY - Detective.
Did you do a bail history? Yes.
Got a copy with the clerk of the court? I so don't need my hand held during a bail application - especially not by a detective sergeant.
We need Rose held in remand.
Investigations are ongoing.
Fishing trip's ongoing, but, yes, yes, whatever.
Ms Novak'? Yes.
Oh, hi.
I'm Elle Cavenagh.
I'm acting for Rose Pugliese.
Oh, Tatum.
Hi.
We're all here.
Listen, I was thinking, why don't we treat this as a summary matter? Because it's not a summary of fence.
Rose was found with an indictable quantity That's what the paperwork says, but let's drop the quantity, wind the charge back from trafficking to possession.
No way.
My client will plead guilty to possession.
If she gets a custodial sentence, then so be it.
Well, a bond's more likely, and we wouldn't oppose that.
That would be really good for the little boy.
And Rose, of course.
Tatum, this case is open The DPP has carriage of the matter.
I'll just have to go up the food chain.
OK, call Tony Gillies.
He knows the score.
50"')!- Anything prior? Cerebral palsy? Let's do it.
Let's get rid of this.
That's a done deal.
- Um - Oh, shit.
I'll just I'll just let the court know.
Uh, Ben? Can I have a word? Sure.
We need to end this conference now.
You need to go with Witness Assistance and make a second statement What does this have to do with the crime? He drugged us! A rape is a rape, it's true, but the fact that you had consensual sex with him before It was one night! Don't make me do this.
It will come out in court, Bintu.
If Quinn gets desperate, they'll use it.
We need to get this on the record and Quinn's defence need to be told.
We need to think very calmly about how we're gonna handle this.
Nadia said this would happen.
She's so frightened.
There's nothing to be afraid of.
He's just like Mr Quinn! You're the same as the men who work for him.
This country is all government public servants and big businesses scratching each other's backs, making sure that all you men in big buildings get exactly what you want.
And people like me get screwed.
Bintu, I I'm sorry, but I Don't speak to me! I thought you were a friend.
I thought you'd keep a secret, but you betrayed me.
That pig raped me, and now you've helped him make it worse.
He's gonna get away with it, and my name is gonna be shit for the rest of my life because of you.
There are no words to describe bitch women like you with no heart.
I hope you die.
Should we say something? Should I go in? Are you kidding me? I should've been here, David.
We should've rescheduled the conferences.
I'm sorry, Ben.
It wasn't fair on you.
Well, first she goes for victim's comp.
And she's already coming across as hard as nails.
Look what the jury did to Lindy Chamberlain.
If you're a woman and a victim, you'd better know when to cry.
The defence will already have the police statements - all the versions.
Exactly.
âWhy did you not mention your previous liaison with Mr Quinn? Blah, blah, blah.
â And going to the house expecting a sexual encounter.
But she's right.
The drugs, the bondage - there was no consent.
Remember, Quinn's saying he wasn't even there.
Consent doesn't come into his side of the story.
It's about the women's credibility.
Now they're saying that details were left out, changing the story.
It's gonna be a hell of a committal hearing.
I should be charging you double.
I thought you already were.
Tracey? Um thanks for the heads-up.
Must've been tough to spill the beans.
It was my duty as an officer of the court.
Sure.
You couldn't sit on it.
The girl was upset.
I expected her to vent a little.
Still working? Yeah.
Trying to track down something Nadia said about the car.
You should go home.
Alistair? Ben here.
Ben McMahon.
Yeah, Dad's doing great.
Listen, I'm trying to track down some information.
Trevor Fulton? That's my name.
Ben McMahon from the DPP.
Hey.
Quick question.
If a government car has a broken tail-light, it ends up down here for maintenance, doesn't it'? That's about the size of it.
So say a minister wanted to use a car on the quiet - you know, no record kept - this be a good place to come? But you can't just drive it away.
Have to get to the bloke in charge.
Bribe them, say? Or make threats? I guess.
October two years ago, who would that bloke have been? Tatum Novak, Andy Campbell's been on the phone again.
It wasn't pretty.
He shouldn't be pushing the DPP around.
In bail matters, we take instructions from the police.
It was a plea bargain.
Janet loved it.
We had a chat before, I was gentle Oh, where's your whip, Tony? I was looking forward to it.
Just shut up for five seconds and listen! Your old man's a thug! You know that, everyone knows it.
Some of his enemies are in concrete slabs just down the road.
But he's given you a chance to ignore all that and be your own woman.
You take that chance! And you find yourself carrying baggage around like you did today, then ditch it and ditch it fast! So this bloke at the garage all but admitted that Quinn had snitched a car that was supposed to be in for repairs.
I'll pass that on to the police, and they can try to get a statement from him.
That'll shaft Quinn's alibi if it sticks.
Quinn must think he's some kind of god.
Like, all these people too scared to talk.
God? Yeah.
He had both of his cleaning women convinced.
Even the African girl? Mm-hm.
Anyone who could make Tracey wet herself and hide in her office can't scare easily.
Well, Bintu is on a steep learning curve.
She's not the only one.
So, how's my bet looking? On balance, that committal is still looking pretty shaky.
Tates, I was, um I was actually thinking of calling off that bet 'cause if, you know, Nadia and Bintu caught wind of it Just me.
Is this bowl yours? Well, I l think so.
Why? We should keep track of whose is whose.
So much junk here.
What, do you want me to move out? Or I could.
Well, I think that's a crap idea.
I don't want a house-mate.
I wanna share a place with a friend.
I thought I already was.
Erin, you are a friend.
You lied to me for nine months while we got pissed together and ate each other's food and talked about everything.
At least I did.
Well, not revealing a piece of information technically isn't lying.
Yeah, we're both lawyers.
Let's not do the hair-splitting dance.
Look, I'm sorry.
Maybe maybe I've been a bit obsessive keeping Andy and I private so long.
You think? Well, the months just ticked over.
And then it became habit, and well, and, in a way, kind of fun.
Will you stop murdering those vegetables and come and have a drink with me? We can sort this out.
I'll pass.
Thanks.
But you go.
I'm only cooking for one.
It is highly sensitive, and cannot - I repeat, cannot - leave this office.
Not a problem.
And now it's alleged that, two years ago, the current Attorney-General, Nicholas Quinn, the Premier's right-hand man, lured two female parliamentary cleaners to his rural property where he held them against their will and committed numerous serious sexual assaults on them.
I want us to pursue Quinn.
Quinn Quinn? I've reviewed the file.
I believe there's a case to answer, and I want him to answer it.
Well, I'm Danny Novak's daughter.
All through high school, I was called âthe Gangstefs Girlâ.
I like you.
Alright? I don't see a problem with other people knowing.
The Blaustein jury's out.
That means Tom Fraser's available.
He's a very fine QC.
And he's from out of town.
It's a good fit for the Quinn prosecution.
Oh, I don't think there's any need to bring anyone in from outside.
That would be extravagant.
Now you're worried about the budget? Rhys Kowalski will do a great job.
I'm giving him entire conduct.
And, anyway, why should we throw any more resources at this just because we're going after a politician? A former attorney-general.
Who should be treated the same as any other defendant who will come after you with the proverbial baseball bat.
I don't think that'll be solved by bringing in a Melbourne silk.
Rhys is one of the best.
And keeping it in Rhys's hands means you can still call the shots.
Not at all.
That would be inappropriate.
Who's the lucky solicitor instructing Rhys? An up-and-comer.
Me? On the Quinn case? That's great.
Are you sure? Absolutely confident.
Rhys is happy to have you as well.
Welcome aboard.
I've got a pile on my desk this high and I'm in court all day tomorrow Tracey's already farming out your other matters.
You know my father's got a history with Nicholas Quinn too? There was a preselection shit-fight.
I remember.
Intimidation, branch stacking, dirty tricks on both sides.
Pretty standard preselection, then.
You'll be at the end of a very long bar table.
No-one's gonna join those dots.
You know I'm a suspect on the leak investigation.
Which makes no difference to the prosecution.
Assemble the chain of evidence, marshal the facts, present the case, and remember the standard sage advice.
Don't fuck it up.
That would be bad.
For all of us.
Concentrate on the victims' police statements.
You're meeting the Romanian girl shortly for pre-committal conference.
Her friend's coming in tomorrow.
I'm meeting them? I'm due in court now.
And tomorrow's the Joanne Mervich sentencing.
Just let 'em know what to expect and make a judgment about how they'll go under cross-examination.
But no coaching? Ask the hard questions, but, Ben, ask 'em gently.
You're messing up my whiteboard.
Well, I warned them, but did they listen? Tatum, you can add Ben's bail application to your pile.
Keep a drug trafficker locked up.
Of course.
Drugs are bad.
What's Ben doing? He's stepped up to bigger things.
Not as big as Janet.
She's really piling the weight on.
Uh, it's called being pregnant.
I'm sure she'll make an official announcement as soon as she feels ready.
Why bother? She put up one of those creepy, alien ultrasound photos in her office ages ago.
You people never notice anything.
Oh, just the man.
Here's an assault hearing for you.
Tomorrow.
Not enough time to mess that one up.
Tomorrow? Any questions, ask Ben.
We're all picking up after him today.
Guess who's instructing the Quinn case.
- Oh! - Wow.
David thinks you're hot.
Yeah, or dispensable.
Congratulations.
Good to see the odd disaster isn't held against us.
Oh, gee, thanks, mate.
Did they ever find the turtleneck jumpers, the lead weights? Nope, not even the glass dildo.
Worse luck.
No forensic evidence, no crime scene evidence and no medical evidence.
Just the statements of the two women.
Who waited two years before going to the police.
Oh, maybe you can stop them leaving the country this time.
That's funny.
Is it? Yeah.
OK.
Who's organising the sweep for this one? I probably should.
2O bucks says you won't get past the committal hearing.
I'll back myself to take that.
You're on.
Richard? Betting on a rape trial? Mm-hm.
I don't think so.
Scared.
OK.
Oh, no, no, no, no.
No.
No way.
This guy's my hero.
I can't prosecute him for assault.
Aw, you still have heroes? Scientist heroes.
Steve Coburn is trying to save human civilisation.
Coburn, the global warming guy? He's a lead author for the IPCC.
He's a climatologist who put together a global temperature reconstruction going back 12,000 years.
So he's a geek.
He's been on 'Four Corners'.
A huge geek.
And on 'Oprah'.
Mmm, slightly cool.
And the alleged assault? He punched a climate change sceptic, James Watt.
Watt runs a blog, CO2 Fraud.
It's mostly anti-science crap.
Sounds like a fun day in court.
You haven't had a win yet, have you? Just please take it off my hands.
This Watt guy is coming in today.
I can't go behind Tracey's back.
Why don't you talk to her? Maybe Ben's free.
It was Ben's case to start with.
He's on Quinn now.
Ben McMahon is briefing Rhys? Bringing all of his sensitivity to bear.
Tatum's running the book for him.
Nadia, hi.
Will Mr Quinn be there? Yes, but he won't be saying anything.
The committal hearing is used to present the evidence in your police statement to the court, and you'll be asked if you wanna change anything.
Why would I want to change? It's just procedure, Nadia.
If you're sure the statement is the truth and there's nothing you wanna add.
Truth? Yes.
Alright.
And your statement will become an exhibit.
Now, Mr Quinn's lawyers are gonna ask you some questions about your statement.
It's called cross-examination.
How many questions? Could be one or two, or a lot.
They'll be testing you on your story and you.
They'll be asking why you've taken two years to tell the police about Nicholas Quinn.
We are afraid.
Look, try not to cry straightaway, if you can.
And if you can manage a longer answer.
He is a big, important man behind his big glass desk! He says he's in charge of all the police and all the courts.
We say anything about what happened, no-one will believe us.
Do you believe? Sure.
Take a seat.
So why did you come forward now? My friend Bintu, she says she's going to police.
So there's not much choice.
Why do people insists on using AVOs as a blunt instrument against their partner? Beats using a real blunt instrument.
Ms Badir, I left a brief with you.
Detective.
I gotta get back to the office.
Actually, it was a pair of briefs.
I know! They've been shoved under my bed for a week.
You could've washed them for me.
I thought you were stuck on the Central Coast indefinitely.
Armed robbery investigation.
Well, we made an early arrest.
I'm very good.
Huh.
Well, you better come over and pick up your tighty-whities.
I was hoping you'd say that.
Tonight? I'll text.
Erin's been out every night this week, so, um l like your chances.
That Sunday afternoon on October 10, two years ago.
I wake up on the bed.
It's in Mr Quinn's country house, near Bowral.
What time was this? Four o'clock.
How can you be so sure? A clock by the bed.
It was the first thing I see as I wake.
What happened then? I feel frightened.
My hands are tied with a belt, and I'm wearing not much.
What were you wearing? Uh a top, wool.
A high-neck jumper.
But there are holes cut.
In court, you need to say it out loud so that it goes on the record.
Um there are holes.
My breasts are showing.
And you say your hands were tied.
Were they in front or behind you? In front.
You had just a jumper on.
Anything else? No.
I am bare.
Was there anyone else in the room with you? Bintu is next to me.
She is tied, hands and feet.
And she's crying.
This is your friend, Bintu Sesay? Yes.
And Mr Quinn is there.
And he's naked, but he has a little mask.
And then he sees I am awake and he comes over and His face is very close to mine.
And I feel his breath, and it's hot.
And he has something in his hands.
And I feel this thing against my skin.
It's cold.
And he In court, Nadia, I'm sorry you're gonna have to say it out loud.
Sprung! Can you tell how it's going from 10m away? Well, Ben hasn't put his head on the desk and burst into tears yet, so I'm taking that as a good sign.
You're worried he might? Uh the women's statements differ.
Well, maybe Rhys should be in there with him.
Mmm, Ben's sharp enough, but he's green.
If she survives him stomping all over her statement, she'll survive in court.
And if he accidentally coaches the witness, well, just put it down to inexperience? Do you really think I'm that manipulative? Anything arrive for me? Mail delivery? Mail goes to the mailroom, Tony.
It's a novel arrangement, I know.
And witches live in the forest, Tracey.
But God knows, there are exceptions.
How did you come to be at his holiday house? One night, he said, âCan you do job for me? âCome clean my country house, just a few hours work.
âAnd then stay, enjoy, swim in the pool.
â Did Mr Quinn say he'd be there? He said he would not be there.
Did you discuss this offer with your friend? I'm not sure, but Bintu, she says, âWhy not? âWhy should we not get to enjoy the big house too, have a holiday?â So I said yes, and we went up next weekend on Saturday.
Did Mr Quinn give you a key? Oh, there's a hiding place under a rock.
We got in and inside's clean already, but we work for two hours anyway.
And then we watch the big TV, eat frozen pizza.
You had fun? Saturday was good.
Sunday What happened Sunday? Mr Quinn drives in.
Did you notice anything about the car? It is one of the government cars, but I don't remember the number.
It's just him.
No family, no driver.
He's smiling and talking a lot.
Bintu makes food, and there are drinks, champagne.
Who was making the drinks? Mr Quinn is giving drinks.
And we are laughing.
But then I feel drunk quickly and very tired.
What happened then? Next, I wake up and it's four dclock.
So after this happened, is that when Mr Quinn threatened you? He said terrible things will happen if we say even a word.
And that this is our fault, he said.
And then he drove off into the night, just one tail-light looking back at us, like an eye, always watching.
And then you went back to your job as a cleaner in the office? Yes.
How how could you do that, Nadia, after what happened? Is my only job.
it's all I know.
If I quit, what then? Hi.
How's it going in there? You heard the news? Sure.
Bit of a trophy brief for you.
More like a poisoned chalice.
Oh, it's going that well? My first complainant's a mousy Romanian woman - a bit timid, inclined to tears, and looks shifty.
Two soy flat whites, please.
She won't make a good witness? She's putting everything in the present tense.
It sounds like she's making it up as she goes along.
If you're gonna learn English, at least learn more than one tense at time.
How's your conversational Romanian? I swear, if these women don't work as witnesses, we have got zip.
Quinn's alibi? He says he was alone that Sunday with his phone switched to MessageBank.
Some ârare down timeâ.
Convenient.
Thanks, mate.
Nadia says he turned up in a government vehicle, but all the fleet is accounted for the whole weekend.
So the police can't place Quinn anywhere except at home.
So it's his word against theirs? Always has been.
I swear David's gonna burn the DPP down over this, and me with it.
I think being drugged and raped is no picnic either.
Maybe that's what David's thinking about.
Thank you.
Yes, I, uh l am that Watt.
Which what? The Watt.
My ancestral namesake invented the steam engine.
Uh, we need to talk about the hearing tomorrow, go through your statement to the police.
Sure, know it by heart.
Well, I'll step you through it with some questions.
Why did you attend Professor Coburn's book launch that day? I went to put some questions as a concerned of the public.
Did you get a chance to do that? Yes.
During his presentation, I asked him about the greenhouse effect and how it contravenes the second law of thermodynamics.
Is that when he punched you? No.
No, he suggested I read a book by some other warmist - usual rubbish.
Did you speak to him again? Yes.
I asked another question from the back.
Was he aware that the modern temperature record was utterly corrupt? They put thermometers next to air conditioning units and on airport tarmacs.
You asked him that? Yes, exactly.
So you think a few thermometers at airports accounts for all of the late 20th century rise in recorded temperatures globally? With El Nifio thrown in, yes.
And the rise in ocean temperatures? The receding glaciers? The earlier spring flowering? The earlier bird and animal migration? The collapse of Arctic summer ice cover? Was that in my police statement? Not really.
Oh.
Then why ask it? I'm demonstrating how upset Professor Coburn may have been with your line of questioning.
It goes to motive.
Mmm.
Right.
Ah, Tracey, delivery for you.
Where did you get that? I think a courier left it.
Has it been vetted? Security has an X-ray machine for this sort of thing.
I don't think Put the package down and step away.
Now! Oh, gently! Who would send you a bomb, Tracey? Apart from, you know, everyone you work with here.
Who do you think? The DPP is treading on a lot of toes.
We have to be careful.
I don't think Nicholas Quinn is the bomb-making type.
I've read the case notes.
Nicholas Quinn is capable of anything.
You bloody beauty! This is the saddle from the back of Starburst the day Benny Duggan rode him to first place in the third at Flemington.
One of your nags.
Well, the only one that placed at Flemington.
I heard Benny was selling his stuff.
Isn't it magnificent? But why did it come to me? Well, I addressed it to you.
I'm in and out all the time.
You're always here, nailed to the desk.
A bit anal retentive.
Did I get that right? Then Hmm.
Then I asked him about the uncertainties in cloud feedbacks.
Was that during his talk or afterwards? Um, after.
Most people leaving by then.
Coburn was in a bit of a hurry too.
How rude.
I asked him if he really thought modern temperatures were higher than during the medieval warm period.
He was telling me to go away by then.
Did he appear angry? Yes, well, his whole climate science house of cards was crashing around him.
And then you asked one last question? Yes.
Top of the stairs in the bookshop.
I got around in front of him.
And I asked him why he'd lied about the missing tropospheric hot spot.
âLiar,â I said.
More than once? Yes, a few times.
Then he hit me in the face.
I fell down the stairs.
I could've been killed! Ugh.
Well, Professor Coburn will say you tripped.
Yes, well, he's a climate scientist.
Man'll say anything.
Enjoy meeting Mr Watt? You've heard of purgatory? He makes a lot of good points.
Do you know how many thermometers are sitting next to air conditioners? Where have you people been for the last 10 years? Does nobody give a rat's about the planet?! I file the environment under âGod's creation" and leave it to him, so I do think we'll be fine.
Those of us with the faith.
Suck it up, Richard.
Remember Article 2 of the manual.
âPersonal feelings of a prosecutor towards the alleged offender or victim âmust never come into play.
â I'll try to remember that.
Maybe get it tattooed on my arse.
I said I'd pick you up, a few drinks, go clubbing for a bit.
Can't, babe.
Sorry.
Well, let's at least get a bite to eat, 'cause I'm starving.
Well, let's do noodles at home, and then I've got this extra pile Tracey's dumped on me.
You've got till 10:00, and I want you in bed.
I've got some ideas.
I'm right here, guys, not deaf.
Con, do you remember Jack Pugliese? Bit before my time.
Colourful racing identity.
He wore really bad suits.
Dad knew him.
Oh, right.
The police have arrested a Rose Pugliese - his daughter, I think.
Bringing some dope down from the North Coast.
Traffic cannabis.
How much? Bit over a kilo.
The police want me to oppose bail.
What, for a kilo? That's a bit harsh.
She claims she was trying to make some quick money to pay her kid's medical bills.
- Yeah, right.
- The boy has cerebral palsy.
And that poor kid without a mum Article 2.
âPersonal feelings of the prosecutorâ Oh, shut up! I got this really weird text.
It said, âGet your hot naked bod into bed over here now.
â Oh, that sounds so slutty when you say it out loud.
I know.
But it was unsigned.
Though there's only three or four women it could be, really.
Where's Erin? She's at Gar's Bar.
The night's young.
So you'll be the guy who instructed the guy who took down Nicholas Quinn.
That's almost worth celebrating.
There is no guarantee.
He could walk away.
The complainant today, Nadia, she she might not be good enough.
She's not great when she has to give her evidence.
Reliving every detail of the rape, you mean? Yeah, well, it comes with the territory.
Look, I know it must be hard You see why so many rapes go unreported? It takes incredible guts just to say it, even once.
Sure, but this is when she has to spit it out in my office, in front of me, and I'm on her side.
Imagine what it's like to go through court.
You plonked her in a chair in your office and sat behind a desk in a sharp suit and asked her awkward questions.
Yeah, doing my job.
OK, so try to imagine what that felt like for Nadia.
You looked and sounded exactly like the arsehole who did this to her.
Hey, Quinn's got 30 years You're an alpha male authority figure giving her a hard time.
It's lucky she stayed with you five minutes.
That's crap.
And if this is so hard on Nadia, then is it worth us even prosecuting? Don't you dare go soft on this.
Hey, it's not up to me, it's up to her Rapists are shit! I want them all dead! Steady.
50"')!- I see too much of this.
Every day, I bet.
When that trial starts and Nadia Tesla takes the stand, she'll get to tell the world what he did to her, whether she's good enough or not.
After that, a conviction is just a bonus.
Hello? Shit.
Sorry.
There's, uh pizza in the fridge, if you haven't eaten.
Thanks.
I'm right.
Sorry I didn't make it down to Gar's.
It's OK.
You were busy.
I thought you were out.
The bathroom door wasn't shut properly.
Not your fault at all.
Well, if we're gonna do the one-night stand thing, we better have a signal.
What do guys do? Sock on the door handle? Hey, Erin.
Hey.
I could, if you're No.
Best go.
Yep.
Um See you.
So you and Andy not just tonight? No.
How long? I'm I'm not counting.
Everybody counts.
Nine months.
No.
What? We were just talking about the man drought.
You didn't say What is your problem? Why all the sneaking around, the secrecy? Well, it's my private life.
That I share with you.
We share this house.
Oh-ho, I see.
Thanks very much! Look, I'm I'm I'm sorry, but can you please keep this secret? Oh, God, why?! Well, you know.
Cops and lawyers, it's it's frowned upon.
Pfft, there's no law against it.
Tracey'd find one.
Fuck Tracey.
She's no excuse.
Why couldn't you tell me? Look, I'm sorry, OK? I You're also work.
L-I needed to keep this separate.
And all this time, you're on at me about Rhys Kowalski as though I'm the one with the secret affair.
That's that's different.
Oh, because he's married? Please! The moral high ground doesn't suit you at all right now.
Rhys and Paula are in counselling, that's what's different! You did that! Their problems are not my fault.
Are you kidding yourself? I've seen the way you look at him.
I told you, we walked away.
Maybe Rhys walked.
But you're still standing there, hoping he walks right back.
Morning.
No media scrum.
They all ran off to the underground car park ramp.
Joanne was driven in.
More fabulous pictures for the six o'clock news.
Mmm.
You ready? Any chance the judge'll give her a suspended sentence and a good talking-to? Slim.
No second chances when a girl makes a mistake.
Well, not when the mistake is huge.
And planned.
And inevitable.
Her emotions had already got the better of her.
We have to learn to control our emotions.
Otherwise, life's not possible, is it? It's time.
Mr Watt, good morning.
Yes, chilly for this time of year, isn't it? So much for global warming.
Glad I wore the suit.
It's not too much, is it? Should I lose the tie? No, no, the court likes ties.
Good.
I was wondering whether I'd get the chance to address the court.
Sure, you'll be asked questions, you'll answer them.
No, like a victim impact statement.
Give me a chance to put those greenies and their scientists If you use the court as a soapbox, the magistrate will come down on you hard.
It wouldn't be good for your case.
Oh, good point.
You're sharp.
Or you could just wing it, see what happens.
Oh, here he is.
Enjoying your last day of sunshine, are you, Professor? - Leave it.
- Richard Stirling! Mr Bernard.
It's a small industry.
Are you the solicitor on this one? Mm-hm.
I'd have failed more of your essays had I known.
I'm just requesting a 10-minute recess.
Sorry? You have to help me.
What? Jasper Bernard is the defence.
He was my ethics lecturer at uni.
Is this the Steve Coburn matter? Yeah.
What are the odds? I'm prosecuting my climate science hero and taking on my all-time favourite law lecturer.
Mate, you're piling up the man-crushes pretty fast.
I'm starting to get worried.
Bernard's gonna pull me to pieces in there.
Well, that's great, isn't it? Then your hero will be acquitted.
No, it's not great.
My name is on the Steve Coburn file for all time, so I still stink and I get humiliated in court.
Do you believe James Watt? Do you think Coburn hit him? God, yes.
He's very punchable.
Right, well, then you've got the facts on your side, and truth, stuff like that.
So you go in hard.
The truth? Since when does that guarantee anything? You're right, so you're probably gonna die at the bar table.
But sometimes that's our job.
10 years? Joanne Mervich swapped one hell for another.
Pretty harsh.
It's on the radio already.
Yeah, battered wife syndrome means stuff-all, apparently.
She was tortured systematically for years, and now we've put her in jail.
Oh, great, another important early morning conference with Detective Campbell.
No.
Actually, I'm here to see Ms Novak.
Why don't you just kiss him here, in front of everyone? Tatum'? Oh, I see.
If you say it out loud, that makes it real.
That's bull.
I get it.
You're not sure he's Mr Right.
You're keeping all your options open.
I hear you're doing the Rose Pugliese bail hearing today.
I'll do what I can.
The assumption in favour of bail still applies.
Why do you wanna keep her locked up? It was only a small bag of happy tobacky.
Hey, it was over a kilo.
And she's in that drug syndicate up to her tits.
Her tits aren't in the case notes.
What I see is a humungous surveillance operation that only grabbed one woman with a plastic bag of weed.
She's a flight risk.
She's got priors.
She's got criminal connections.
What does her family have to do with anything? Did I mention her family? Are you disputing my instructions? I will oppose bail as requested by the police.
I'm I'm just saying I might not win this one.
Bintu, you're from Sierra Leone, aren't you? Port Loko? Yes.
Lots of very busy Catholics near the coast there.
A mission school taught me English.
Have you kept up with the church here? I go to St Kevin's in Mt Druitt.
St Kevin's, I know that one.
They restored that beautiful stained glass.
Ben McMahon will be talking with you today.
If he gives you any trouble, ask for me.
Mr Watt, could you tell us, the court, your reasons for attending the launch of Professor Coburn's book World Climate in the 21st Century'? Yes, I just wanted to ask a few questions.
Primus - do CO2 levels lead temperature in the Professor's reconstruction or do they lag? Secundus - where is the evidence for climate sensitivity Thank you, Mr Watt.
Um, quite short answers will be really good today.
Well, there are no short answers in climate science.
The warmists like to complicate the physics.
Actually, if we could just The matter is an alleged assault.
Mr Crown, if you could keep your complainant on topic, perhaps.
Your Honour.
Mr Watt, you asked a number of questions during the Professofs presentation.
And then you approached him afterwards So you were standing at the top of the stairs, correct? Yes.
Your back to the stairs, firing questions at Professor Coburn? Yes.
Did you prod him with your finger? Yes.
Did you call him a liar? Yes.
You were getting worked up at that point? Yes.
And then you stumbled and fell down the stairs backwards? Yeah.
No! I mean, I was pushed PUNCHED! Pushed or punched? There's a difference.
Punched! I mean, I saw his fist come towards me, and then I was falling.
So his hand flew at you.
It looked like a punch was coming.
Yes.
How would it have looked if Professor Coburn had been reaching out to steady you, to stop you from stumbling backwards - to save your life, perhaps? You don't steady someone by punching them in the jaw.
Everything here is what happened.
How many times are they gonna make me say it? No more than we have to, Bintu.
See, the way the justice system works Whatever.
I'll do what I have to to put that man in jail.
Now, in your statement, you say you were on the floor of the bedroom when Nadia woke.
Yes.
Nadia says that you were in the bed with her.
I was on the bed and on the floor many times.
On the floor, he would lie on me with his fat fingers everywhere and his hard-on.
On the bed the bed was for his objects.
But when Nadia woke Maybe she woke before I knew it.
We didn't have a nice chat.
Bintu, part of my job is to anticipate what Mr Quinn's defence counsel is gonna ask you.
Now, he won't go through all your evidence again.
He'll just go after the parts where your account doesn't match Nadia's.
Nadia and I never spoke about what he did.
We didn't compare stories.
We made nothing up.
If I was on the bed or off, so what?! This is all the truth.
Oh, what now? I had it X-rayed.
You never know.
Oh! That's just sad.
First a saddle, now a whip.
That's a party.
Oh, Benny Duggan's whip from The day he won the third at Flemington.
Yes, take it home, Tony.
Put the saddle in your car as well and get it out of here.
I won't - it's office decoration.
It's been in contact with a sweaty horse.
It smells.
It's a bit of history.
There are OH&S rules, Tony, that we all abide by.
Oh, bullshit, Tracey! Just because you dole out the cases doesn't make you Queen of the DPP! There's a limit to your empire and it stops at my office door.
We're tenants.
I'll check the by-laws You've got a miserable birdcage That is a pet and is quite different.
False imprisonment.
Don't make me issue a writ of habeas corpus for Atticus, Tracey! Give your whiteboard to the cleaner to fill out.
We could all do without you very well.
What did you do when you came home after that weekend? I went back to work, with Nadia too.
Cleaning the government offices? We were frightened of him.
We had to work.
It was all we knew.
That's what Nadia said.
There are other cleaning jobs, Bintu.
Why go back to the office of the man that raped you? That's what Quinn's defence is gonna keep coming back to.
I mean, if you were frightened, why not run away? Why not get a job in Darwin? Get a job He threatened our families, OK?! He said we'd never get family reunion visas for them.
He said we'd never be allowed back in if we left Australia to visit them.
He said to shut up and act normal, or this will happen.
So you saw Quinn again? Of course.
He was around smiling just as if nothing Did he mention the assault at any time? No.
Until a few weeks later.
He said the country house needed cleaning again.
We said no.
A day later our boss tells us we're no longer needed at work.
âNot enough jobs.
" Bullshit.
You were sacked? I lost my flat.
I lost everything.
So why did you come forward when you did? There was a lady a social worker.
I had to tell someone what I had suffered.
So I told her.
And it was strange.
What was strange? She didn't cry or pat me.
She was angry.
She said Quinn had to be stopped or he'd do it to others.
Her anger made me angry.
And I gave that anger to Nadia.
And I want everyone in this country to be angry too.
Show the court how you reached out.
James Watt is there, in your face.
He was prodding me and, um .
.
ranting as usual.
But then he starts to stumble backwards and I just threw out my hand.
I was trying to grab his lapel, but, um I'm sorry I didn't get a better hold.
Well, it all happened quickly.
Yes.
Did your hand, um contact his face accidentally? I don't know.
It may have.
Did you punch James Watt? No.
Were you trying to stop him falling? Yes, that's all.
Very well.
No further questions.
Mr Crown'? Professor, Mr Watt was known to you before the book launch? Oh, yes.
Whenever I appear in public, Mr Watt is always there.
Lectures, conferences, TV panel shows.
Always with the same questions.
Which you've answered? Many, many times.
His website is full of the stuff, and much of it could be answered by anybody after about an hour's research.
So when he asks you about CO2 lagging temperatures after the Ice Age That's because a warming world releases CO2, but then the greenhouse effect causes extra warming.
It must be frustrating having to explain that basic fact.
Over and over again? Yes, very.
And then he asked you about the medieval warm period.
Are you sick of that question too? Surely.
That was probably a Northern Hemisphere event And today's temperature rise is global, isn't it? Exactly.
He says there were no four-wheel drives back then, even in the Northern Hemisphere.
Carbon dioxide is not the only driver of climate change.
It's just the one we have to worry about this century.
And that we have some control over.
Yes, thank you.
Exactly.
Mr Watt got in front of you and poked you in the chest.
Yes.
He called you a liar.
Yes.
More than once.
Yes, yes, yes.
Then he tells you the sun Mr Stirling.
God, yes! I mean, as if we hadn't noticed the sun! And then he asks you about the sun one more time, as though he's heard nothing that you've said to him, as though he's studied none of the basic science, as though he thinks that the world's climate scientists are a pack of blind fools.
That's quite enough! Exactly! Yes, yes, yes! - I'd like to punch him right now.
- Mr Stirling! It must've just felt so good to push your fist into his stupid flapping jaw! Absolutely.
It was fantastic.
Objection! Guilty is a fantastic result.
The world can now see how the warmists resort to violence when they can't win the argument.
Were you paying attention in there? $1,000 fine? What's that all about? First of fence, citizen of good standing.
And it's not really a fine.
It's more of a donation to Greenpeace, so Nice advocacy, Stirling.
Unorthodox.
You're quick on your feet.
Thank you.
I have to say No, you don't.
Take the win, enjoy.
Stay away from me, Watt.
At a thousand bucks a go, another poke at you might just be worth it.
He's hurting.
I can tell.
Now, you certainly have to let me buy you dinner.
Normally, we're meant to politely decline dinner invitations.
Um, but this time, can I say go and do some real science for a change.
And bugger off! She's been through the same crap as Nadia Tesla.
She's just reacting differently - she's angry.
Unfortunately, anger doesn't play as well with the jury.
Well, we only have one magistrate to worry about.
The prosecution is only as strong as its weakest witness.
They'll both be judged if Bintu lets us down with some outburst.
She won't.
She's articulate, David.
And she's believable.
And she wants some good to come of this.
She just put in for crime compensation.
Yesterday.
I've just been informed.
The two-year deadline was almost up, and someone from Witness Services got to her.
How much? 20 grand and a trip home to Sierra Leone.
The defence are gonna paint her as greedy and opportunistic.
She's had a tough couple of years.
We can talk that point around.
We can, David.
Hello again.
You said you were from St Kevin's.
A lady I knew from the Catholic Women's League moved there.
Bernadette Tighe.
I know Bernadette.
Talked to her many times.
She runs the Social Justice Committee.
I'm sure she does.
I've read your statement, Bintu.
I'm very sorry for what happened to you.
Mostly, I get mad.
Oh, I get mad.
Sometimes.
It's one way to cope.
But then I fall to pieces.
They're making you go over it again and again.
I think it's because I'm guilty.
I talked Nadia into talking to the police.
She didn't want to.
You did well.
You're both very brave.
And I talked her into going on that weekend to Quinn's farm.
You weren't to know.
But I did.
In a way.
Sorry? I thought Mr Quinn might turn up for fun.
You were expecting to have sex? He seduced me one night in the office, a night Nadia was off sick.
So when he talked about coming to the country You had consensual sex with Nicholas Quinn? That wasn't in your statement to the police.
Of course not.
It has nothing to do with the rape.
And Quinn isn't gonna bring it up, is he? Please, this is a secret.
No-one can know I made love to that pig.
Ready to talk some more? Do you know what this is? A device for torturing large animals? Sometimes a filly needs coaxing to do her best.
I'm really looking forward to making Crown Prosecutor, Tony, so I can fill my big office with eccentric crap.
I've just had Detective Campbell in my ear and he seemed to think you're gonna run dead in this Rose Pugliese bail application.
I'm not.
Even though the cops are just trying to cover their arse after a bungled operation.
I remember Jack Pugliese.
We never prosecuted successfully.
His little girl used to come to court sometimes.
His little girl should've been kept out of it.
Clearly.
Dads can be a bad influence.
Or they can inspire.
Are we done? Just pick your battles with the police carefully.
Fight 'em on principle, not on gut reaction.
HEY - Detective.
Did you do a bail history? Yes.
Got a copy with the clerk of the court? I so don't need my hand held during a bail application - especially not by a detective sergeant.
We need Rose held in remand.
Investigations are ongoing.
Fishing trip's ongoing, but, yes, yes, whatever.
Ms Novak'? Yes.
Oh, hi.
I'm Elle Cavenagh.
I'm acting for Rose Pugliese.
Oh, Tatum.
Hi.
We're all here.
Listen, I was thinking, why don't we treat this as a summary matter? Because it's not a summary of fence.
Rose was found with an indictable quantity That's what the paperwork says, but let's drop the quantity, wind the charge back from trafficking to possession.
No way.
My client will plead guilty to possession.
If she gets a custodial sentence, then so be it.
Well, a bond's more likely, and we wouldn't oppose that.
That would be really good for the little boy.
And Rose, of course.
Tatum, this case is open The DPP has carriage of the matter.
I'll just have to go up the food chain.
OK, call Tony Gillies.
He knows the score.
50"')!- Anything prior? Cerebral palsy? Let's do it.
Let's get rid of this.
That's a done deal.
- Um - Oh, shit.
I'll just I'll just let the court know.
Uh, Ben? Can I have a word? Sure.
We need to end this conference now.
You need to go with Witness Assistance and make a second statement What does this have to do with the crime? He drugged us! A rape is a rape, it's true, but the fact that you had consensual sex with him before It was one night! Don't make me do this.
It will come out in court, Bintu.
If Quinn gets desperate, they'll use it.
We need to get this on the record and Quinn's defence need to be told.
We need to think very calmly about how we're gonna handle this.
Nadia said this would happen.
She's so frightened.
There's nothing to be afraid of.
He's just like Mr Quinn! You're the same as the men who work for him.
This country is all government public servants and big businesses scratching each other's backs, making sure that all you men in big buildings get exactly what you want.
And people like me get screwed.
Bintu, I I'm sorry, but I Don't speak to me! I thought you were a friend.
I thought you'd keep a secret, but you betrayed me.
That pig raped me, and now you've helped him make it worse.
He's gonna get away with it, and my name is gonna be shit for the rest of my life because of you.
There are no words to describe bitch women like you with no heart.
I hope you die.
Should we say something? Should I go in? Are you kidding me? I should've been here, David.
We should've rescheduled the conferences.
I'm sorry, Ben.
It wasn't fair on you.
Well, first she goes for victim's comp.
And she's already coming across as hard as nails.
Look what the jury did to Lindy Chamberlain.
If you're a woman and a victim, you'd better know when to cry.
The defence will already have the police statements - all the versions.
Exactly.
âWhy did you not mention your previous liaison with Mr Quinn? Blah, blah, blah.
â And going to the house expecting a sexual encounter.
But she's right.
The drugs, the bondage - there was no consent.
Remember, Quinn's saying he wasn't even there.
Consent doesn't come into his side of the story.
It's about the women's credibility.
Now they're saying that details were left out, changing the story.
It's gonna be a hell of a committal hearing.
I should be charging you double.
I thought you already were.
Tracey? Um thanks for the heads-up.
Must've been tough to spill the beans.
It was my duty as an officer of the court.
Sure.
You couldn't sit on it.
The girl was upset.
I expected her to vent a little.
Still working? Yeah.
Trying to track down something Nadia said about the car.
You should go home.
Alistair? Ben here.
Ben McMahon.
Yeah, Dad's doing great.
Listen, I'm trying to track down some information.
Trevor Fulton? That's my name.
Ben McMahon from the DPP.
Hey.
Quick question.
If a government car has a broken tail-light, it ends up down here for maintenance, doesn't it'? That's about the size of it.
So say a minister wanted to use a car on the quiet - you know, no record kept - this be a good place to come? But you can't just drive it away.
Have to get to the bloke in charge.
Bribe them, say? Or make threats? I guess.
October two years ago, who would that bloke have been? Tatum Novak, Andy Campbell's been on the phone again.
It wasn't pretty.
He shouldn't be pushing the DPP around.
In bail matters, we take instructions from the police.
It was a plea bargain.
Janet loved it.
We had a chat before, I was gentle Oh, where's your whip, Tony? I was looking forward to it.
Just shut up for five seconds and listen! Your old man's a thug! You know that, everyone knows it.
Some of his enemies are in concrete slabs just down the road.
But he's given you a chance to ignore all that and be your own woman.
You take that chance! And you find yourself carrying baggage around like you did today, then ditch it and ditch it fast! So this bloke at the garage all but admitted that Quinn had snitched a car that was supposed to be in for repairs.
I'll pass that on to the police, and they can try to get a statement from him.
That'll shaft Quinn's alibi if it sticks.
Quinn must think he's some kind of god.
Like, all these people too scared to talk.
God? Yeah.
He had both of his cleaning women convinced.
Even the African girl? Mm-hm.
Anyone who could make Tracey wet herself and hide in her office can't scare easily.
Well, Bintu is on a steep learning curve.
She's not the only one.
So, how's my bet looking? On balance, that committal is still looking pretty shaky.
Tates, I was, um I was actually thinking of calling off that bet 'cause if, you know, Nadia and Bintu caught wind of it Just me.
Is this bowl yours? Well, I l think so.
Why? We should keep track of whose is whose.
So much junk here.
What, do you want me to move out? Or I could.
Well, I think that's a crap idea.
I don't want a house-mate.
I wanna share a place with a friend.
I thought I already was.
Erin, you are a friend.
You lied to me for nine months while we got pissed together and ate each other's food and talked about everything.
At least I did.
Well, not revealing a piece of information technically isn't lying.
Yeah, we're both lawyers.
Let's not do the hair-splitting dance.
Look, I'm sorry.
Maybe maybe I've been a bit obsessive keeping Andy and I private so long.
You think? Well, the months just ticked over.
And then it became habit, and well, and, in a way, kind of fun.
Will you stop murdering those vegetables and come and have a drink with me? We can sort this out.
I'll pass.
Thanks.
But you go.
I'm only cooking for one.