Thank you for everyone’s amazing support and resilience as we fought to Free Bandit over the last 3 ½ years from the ongoing torture by the Scenic Rim Regional Council.

This is the update we never wanted to give.

Last Wednesday we lost our final legal bid in the QLD Supreme Court of Appeal to rescue Bandit from the torture he has been subjected to by the Scenic Rim Regional Council Pound in Beaudesert, QLD, Australia.

The Council have refused to update us on the status of Bandit since the Hearing of 25 November 2020 and we expect he has passed.

This unlawful torture was overseen by Greg Christensen – Mayor, Jon Gibbons - CEO, Mark Duncan – Ranger, Kylie Addy – Ranger, John Morrison - Ranger and Jeremey Pattern – Ranger. This was based on a vet report by Cam Day from Brisbane in 2017 where he claimed Bandit was “aggressive” after being kept in a 1.2 m cell for 6 weeks and grabbed onto a doll he was being poked with by Cam Day.

This loss came after attempts over the last weeks to settle with the Council via their corrupt Lawyers King and Company Lawyers e.g.: John Butt, Mark Williams and Erin Kay.

The Council refused to negotiate and then the QLD Supreme Court of Appeal claimed the Application was late and dismissed it on 25 November 2020. The Court of Appeal Decision of 18 September clearly showed that it was lodged in the Registry in February 2020 and was lost.

This came after extensive delays in QCAT constructed by the Council and then our Appeal in QCAT between 2017 – 2019.

During the last 3 ½ years we were only allowed to visit him around 3 times, he had no exercise, sunlight or sanitation. All illegal.

We ended up with over 22,250 signatures on our change.org petition and lobbied the RSPCA, Mark Furner, Scott Bucholz, Jon Krause, Beaudesert Times, The QLD Premier, QLD DPI, The QLD Local Government Minister ,The Scenic Rim Regional Council Counsellors, The Project (no response), Carrie Bickmore (no response), The Animal Justice Party, The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese and hundreds of others with no traction. We also lodged advice of maladministration with the QLD Crime and Misconduct Commission and the QLD Ombudsman all ignored.

We also asked the QLD Police to allow us access as they have powers to ensure animals are not subjected to cruelty and they refused.

Thank you to the Courier Mail and Gold Coast Times for their stories e.g.: Kirsten Payne  

Our focus now is on lobbying the QLD Government for “Bandits Law” to ensure what has happened to Bandit (and also Sarge recently) never happens again in QLD. The current Animal Management Act in QLD gives zero natural justice to pet owners while allows a disproportionate amount of authority to corrupt Councils and their expensive legal parasites.

The fact that pet owners are required to hire expensive Barristers and Lawyers to represent in QCAT which is supposed to be a “no cost jurisdiction” and self-represented is absurd.

We had three Barristers since 2017 and only one made any inroads before we took back the reins in 2019.

Councils and the Kangaroo Courts/Tribunals are not the place to make decisions about animal management.

Serious criminals are not subjected to the conditions Bandit was and are usually released earlier for serious crimes by the Courts.

The RSPCA have refused to assist for 3 ½ years. Mark Townend the former CEO actually was personally involved back in 2017 and allowed Bandit to be returned to the Councils filthy pound after he was transferred to the RSPCA Super Pound as the RSPCA Inspector deemed it inadequate.

Amazingly, just before the Hearing last week Mark Williams (The Councils Lawyer) threatened my late Mothers Estate Lawyers with claims on my Mothers Will!! Absolutely overt contempt as Paul lost Mum on 3 October 2020. Also disgraceful and behaviour from an Australian Army Reservist.

We will be commencing the lobbying for changes to the QLD Animal Management Act and also a new claim of $749,000 against the Council for compensation in the QLD District Court.

We understand that the Council spent over $175,000 on legal costs (as declared to the Courts) which is overt maladministration given that we sold our house and with the help of all of you purchased a bullet proof dog run.

There was never any need to revert to this action which as per the Act is only a “last resort”.

The egos of the unqualified Scenic Rim Regional Council Mayor, CEO, Rangers and staff are a disgrace to all QLD’ers.

Bandit has been remarkable in his strength to survive and will be missed forever.

 

Sincerely,

 

Bandit and Family