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The re-print of Broken Lives | Public Speaking
The re-print of Broken Lives
Judges’ comments on winning the Historical & Critical Studies (non-fiction) category of the 1999 WA Premier’s Literary Awards
In searching for answers concerning a possible miscarriage of justice, Estelle Blackburn has provided a detailed reconstruction of a series of events which illuminate the social history of Perth in the 1960s. Focusing on the extraordinary and chilling crimes of serial killer Eric Edgar Cooke she provides a fascinating insight into what made Cooke tick, while the narrative makes for engaging, indeed gripping reading at all times. This may have been a book written primarily in the attempt to argue the case for a particular individual but the end product is much more than that. The impressive list of sources both written and oral is testimony to the extent of her achievement.
Pascale Carrington, Associate Editor, Select Editions, Reader’s Digest (letter to author when including it in their Encounters edition, October 2002):
..an eye-opening account of the terrible things that can happen when the law is in error, and the grave damage serial killers inflict, not just on individuals and their families, but on the community as a whole. …..we feel sure readers will respond to your detailed and moving account of the ordeal John Button suffered.
Anne Buggins, The West Australian, June 2002 :
Broken Lives rewrote the past and changed the future of all it touched.
Stephen Dedman, The West Australian (January 2004 in a feature recommending books for summer reading):
It’s the best true crime book I’ve read since Sins of the Brother, Mark Whittaker’s account of the Backpacker Murders. Blackburn set out to write a “true crime novel”, a la Capote’s In Cold Blood, rather than a more dry journalistic account, and the book works on several levels: gruesome chiller, police procedural, legal drama, and a fascinating picture of Perth in the Late 1950s and early 60s.
Belinda Hickman, The Australian
Broken Lives delves into the life of convicted serial killer Eric Cooke – the last man hanged in Western Australia – and has had a lasting effect on the state’s justice system.
President of The Michigan Association of Traffic Accident Investigators, Sgt Rod Sadler (in their magazine Reference Points January 2005):
I highly recommend Estelle’s book Broken Lives
US Crash Reconstructionist Rusty Haight (in an email to author):
Describe your book in one word: powerful. You did a truly wonderful job both engaging the reader and engrossing the expert.
US crash reconstructionist Wilt Nelson in an email to me:
I have just finished reading Broken Lives. What a masterpiece.
Malcolm McCusker AO QC in a letter to author:
I treasure the book, not only because it is a good read but because of what it represents.
On winning the Walkley Award for the Most Outstanding Contribution to Journalism 2001, the Walkley judges said….(the whole of it is on the Walkley website):
Displaying professional courage, her work and painstaking research served to uncover concealed evidence of alleged police blunders and the tragic consequences for two people. It also, for the first time, detailed the life and times and unreported crimes of the last man hanged in WA, Eric Edgar Cooke…….Apart from the overwhelming public interest and public good served by her work, Estelle Blackburn also immeasurably raised the status of journalists and journalism in the eyes of the public.
Tom Percy QC’s reference for Churchill Scholarship application:
I have known Estelle Blackburn for 20 years, and more closely for the past six years since she approached me to represent John Button and Darryl Beamish in their new appeals before WA’s Court of Criminal Appeal. I readily took on these cases pro bono once I read her book ‘Broken Lives’ and discovered the excellent argument she presented for their innocence and realised the effort Estelle had put into redressing these injustices. Thanks to her dedication over a period of 14 years, John Button has been exonerated of a wrongful conviction perpetrated on him 39 years earlier, and Darryl Beamish’s wrongful conviction in 1961 is now in the hands of the Court of Criminal Appeal. It took an inspired outsider like Estelle to bring these legal and social milestones in the history of WA, for no financial reward.
I can happily vouch for Estelle’s impeccable good character. Proof lies in her compassion for the suffering of two complete strangers to her in Button and Beamish, her love of truth, commitment to rectifying injustice and history through passionate persistence and her unrelenting determination to win against the odds. At great personal sacrifice, she selflessly gave up a successful career as Press Secretary to the Premier to devote years of her life, and all her savings and more, to a task that would be just too daunting to most, but to which she applied her superhuman doggedness and tactfulness. Her thoughtful devotion to other victims caught up in this tragedy also brought healing to those who had never had acknowledgement or recognition for their hit-run attempted murders and violent assaults while asleep.
Not resting on her laurels at this success, Estelle has been devoting her time and energy to other people suffering wrongful convictions, and is also applying herself to efforts to establish a sorely needed Innocence Project in Perth so that there is a far bigger resource base to help those suffering from the results of police and prosecution malpractice.
Tom Percy QC 30 April 2005
Albert Wolff Chambers
7th Floor
33 Barrack St
Perth 6000
Senator Alan Eggleston, May 2005:
The world needs people like Estelle Blackburn with the passion, strength of conviction and sheer courage to hold to her beliefs in spite of the powerful resistance she experienced.
Editor of Everywoman Chatterbox (July 2005):
Because of Estelle Blackburn’s vision, hard work and self-sacrifice, the justice system may have been set on a truer course.
Citation when won the Clarion Award 1999:
The Award goes to Estelle Blackburn..for her six-year pursuit of the truth, for painstakingly putting the legal system to the test, and for validating the role of journalism in representing the weak and the powerless against the strong and the powerful.
SMH and The Age April 1 ‘05 on Beamish’s exoneration:
The case was the second to have been initiated on the back of evidence unearthed by Walkley Award-winning journalist Estelle Blackburn, who spent her life savings researching the story of Mr Beamish and John Button, who was convicted of the 1963 killing of his girlfriend Rosemary Anderson
Chief Justice of Western Australian, David Malcolm, 25th February 2002, delivering the judgment on John Button’s Court of Criminal Appeal appeal:
The verdict must be regarded as unsafe and unsatisfactory on the ground that there has been a miscarriage of justice.....I would allow the appeal and quash the conviction for manslaughter. There could not and should not be an order for a re-trial.
Judges of the Court of Criminal Appeal, Western Australia, 1st April 2005in judgment on Darryl Beamish’s appeal:
There has been a substantial miscarriage of justice. We would accordingly allow the appeal and set aside the conviction. Given that Meamish has already served the sentence of imprisonment imposed upon him, there can be no question of any retrial.
Wendy Page, Australian Story, ABC:
The extent of Blackburn’s research and forensic analysis is staggering. She has left no stone unturned and in my opinion she is a brilliant investigative journalist.
Sir Francis Burt, former Chief Justice and Governor of Western Australia:
The significance of Estelle’s work, which has unearthed a good deal of fresh evidence relative to John Button, may be that it destroys what I have called the entrenched judicial belief. It may be that it compels one to say that when Cooke said that he ran down Anderson he WAS telling the truth.
Diana Brassington, Moora:
A thousand thank-yous from Australia can never be enough for all you have done for John Button.
Jim Waddell, Spearwood:
Truly a great work of informative journalism and written with such compassion for all victims, relatives and friends involved.
John H. Drowdon:
What a wonderful unselfish thing you have done for Mr John Button. It is a shame there are not more people like you around this troubled world. I can’t help thinking what a better place it would be.
Steve Grapsas, Melbourne:
After seeing your work on Australian Story some months ago I was "forced" to
find your two books mentioned and have just finished reading The End of
Innocence, they were both fantastic reads thank you. The work you did for both John Button and Darryl Beamish I found somewhat amazing but a magnificent contribution you made to correct 2 shocking decisions of the WA Legal System. May God be with you always.
Public Speaking
Nikoli Cornell, The Professionals Real Estate (State Office):
It is not often you hear a speaker who can keep an audience enthralled and attentive for the entire duration of their presentation. Estelle managed to do this, and we could have listened to her for much longer than the allocated 30 minutes.
Michael Wise, Peel Business Enterprise Centre:
A captivating speaker with an incredible story of courage, commitment and perseverance which is so appropriate for any business or community event. Excellent presentation.
Paul Squires, Squires Real Estate staff dinner:
Estelle changed what was a beautiful evening into an unforgettable and amazing experience. We all agreed that we would like to have her back soon.
Maureen Nieber, Minter Ellison:
We received excellent feedback on Estelle’s presentation from both our partners and the guests who attended the Australian Corporate Lawyers’ Awards launch. Estelle’s enthusiasm and commitment to her work was evident throughout her excellent presentation.”
CPA Australia:
Brilliant talk… inspiring…fantastic passion….compelling and engaging.
Kevin Brown, Curtin University:
I was spellbound. Please convey my thanks to her for the eloquent and passionate way that she delivered her talk. I was most impressed.
