Lewis Blayse Who knows

Amsterdam  van Randwijk

Who Knows (Or: Thanks To You All)

Posted on January 7, 2014 by lewisblayse
 

[Thanks to those who read my rave yesterday about why I want to appear before the Royal Commission, and also to those who are contacting the commission on my behalf. I hope I have not caused readers pain – but this is a turning point for me and I had to make a clear statement about why I should appear at the hearings. I will resume normal postings from tomorrow and not dwell on my own case any longer. As the e-mail exchanges from today indicate, the ball is firmly in the commission’s court. I will respond in my own way at the appropriate time and need not bother the reader with further details.]


This is the email I received from the commission (Fran):
Tuesday 8:27 AM – Attention:Mr Blayse
Lewis, thank you for your email. I understand your concern. I am currently in Brisbane for work commitments. I have forwarded your email to my Director for immediate attention. I hope to have a response before close of business this afternoon.
 Once I have that response I will notify you.
 Kind Regards Fran Ralph
………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

I then received this email from the commission (Tony):


Tuesday 1:50 PM

Dear Mr Blayse
 I have your email and can respond, as Francine is not here today. Given the short time to the hearing – as you note below – we think the most efficient course may be for you to speak directly with counsel assisting the Commission. Can you let me know a good time for us to speak with you? I recall that on the last occasion you preferred an early call (830 or 900). Grateful if you let me know a time and number.
 Regards Tony
Counsel – Case Studies
Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
d: + 61 2 8284 2431 | m: +61 450 044 177 |e: tony.giugni@childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au 
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

I then sent this email to the commission:

Wednesday 1:15 AM

Dear Tony,
I appreciate attempts to “discuss” the commission’s position and conditions with me.
However, I have allowed a month for such “discussions”, and no longer have faith in, or respect for, those discussions.
My position now is that I will not enter into any further “discussions” with anyone, including the Chair himself.
I insist that I have the right to appear, and on my own terms and conditions.

These terms and conditions are that I:
- appear on the first day of hearings;
- have the entire day on the first day of hearings to deliver, interrupted, a detailed address commencing with my personal experiences at Alkira, followed by a series of sub-addresses on various topics pertaining to the Salvation Army’s institutional responses to child sexual abuse;
- be available on the second day of hearings to assist the Commissioners by elaborating upon or otherwise further explaining to them the finer points of any concepts I may have raised on the previous day, in response to questions from the Commissioners
- under no circumstances be subjected to cross-examination by any lawyer; and
- do all the preceding in a public hearing not a closed session.
The preceding are required because it is only in this way that I will be able to assist the Commission to the best of my abilities and in the best interests of the Commission itself. 

Nothing less is acceptable.

Consequently, please do not contact me again other than to give a direct “yes” or “no” answer as to whether my terms and conditions will be met in full, and I will take it from there. (This contact needs to be via email, not phone.)

Yours in anticipation,

Lewis Blayse

TOMORROW: Algate Boys’ Home


That’s all I can say
Lewis Blayse (né Lewin Blazevich)