Victoria Legal Services Commissioner
Level 5
555 Bourke Street
Melbourne
Vlc 3000
By email only: [email protected]

8th December 2016

FAO: Tino Staglionio
Your ref: COM-2016-1074

Dear Sir,

I write on behalf of the Board of Trustees of the International Tribunal for Natural Justice (ITNJ) having been forwarded, from our Chief Justice, Sir John Walsh of Brannagh, a complaint served by your office apparently against him and other Officers of the Court, for alleged misconduct whilst representing the ITNJ.

We respond to the complaint as follows:

  1. False representation by a Melbourne-based barrister John Walsh, of titles, qualifications, and other enhancing descriptive labels claiming titles such as Sir John Walsh of Brannagh, and several other titles and qualifications, and which have no recognition, authenticity, nor credibility – denied;
  2. False presentation of a Legal Service by John Walsh and his staff Julie-Anne Pho and Shae Woodward. i.e. that an organisation titled the International Tribunal for Natural Justice has recognition, reputation, and status in Australia and other countries, when in fact it has no such lawfully recognised authority in Australia, nor recognition by any government, government body, nor among the general populace of any country – denied;
  3. Inducement of our organisation, NCPA into applying for a hearing by the ITNJ for which fees were paid and which were gained through false pretences and deception – denied.

Firstly, in Mr Pragnell’s letter dated 13 September he names the lawyers he is complaining about as “John Walsh – Julie-Anne Pho – Shae Woodward” and states that the legal practice address is 205 William Street Melbourne. He then goes on to say “John Walsh operates The International Tribunal for Natural Justice from Melbourne Victoria”.

Aside from the questionable conduct of naming two court officers who were undertaking their lawful responsibilities to the Tribunal in a complaint to the Legal Services Commissioner (when the complaint itself includes evidence that the Tribunal in question, the ITNJ, is operating lawfully outside of legal and regulatory purview), there are other incorrect assertions. Although Julie-Anne Pho is indeed a qualified lawyer working with the ITNJ as a Court Officer, Shae Woodward is in fact a law student working with the ITNJ as a Court Officer, and John Walsh is not actually a person… not one who represents the ITNJ anyway.

It is also incorrect to state (and the complainant has knowledge of this) that Sir John and his supporting Court Staff operate the ITNJ from Melbourne. The ITNJ is based in London and has an international remit with the capacity to take evidence in any part of the world. The ITNJ may take evidence in Melbourne or Sydney or Washington or Johannesburg as many other courts and tribunals do.

Further, in relation to the allegations against Sir John Walsh of Brannagh specifically, we note that at no point in time were Sir John’s qualifications ever discussed with or raised by Mr Pragnell, which in any event would have been irrelevant to the application or hearing. However, we would like to add that, as our sitting Chief Justice, we have always been more than satisfied that Sir John’s titles and qualifications have absolute standing by virtue of their having been examined at length by the authorities in Australia, the UK and the USA. Sir John stood for Parliamentary office twice in Australia (both State and Federal) and was subject to intense scrutiny. He has also stood for director positions, and again, subject to scrutiny. When he worked with central authorities in the USA, his entire background was checked to obtain clearance. All of his official documents, such as passports, driving licences, US security pass and so on, contain the appropriate titles. His full background including the House of Anjou is contained at the College of Arms in London, and Sir John has been thoroughly vetted for Who’s Who, and other similar publications over many years.

Much of the evidence Mr Pragnell has included in support of the NCPA complaint has been available on our principal website since before the onset of any interactions with the NCPA; we therefore reference the same in defence of the complaint – the nature and extent of the ITNJ’s form, structure and level of recognition having been represented therein to the world at large, as it was to the NCPA at the onset of their engagement with the ITNJ.

Additionally, the matter of the ITNJ’s ‘official’ recognition in Australia was discussed with Mr Pragnell and other members of the NCPA prior to the submission of their Application. He and the NCPA elected to proceed with their application in full knowledge of this fact. We also note that Mr Pragnell and the NCPA chose to approach and request the ITNJ; there was no “inducement”, full disclosure was present.

Of greater significance to the discussion however is the Proposal document that the NCPA themselves prepared for the ITNJ prior to their formal application (attached hereto). As you can see it makes quite clear that the NCPA had full knowledge of and accepted the status of the ITNJ prior to making their application. This proposal was, until recent days, publicly available on the NCPA website, and an archive copy is posted here on the ITNJ website. Further, in respect of lawfulness of the Tribunal:

  1. As included in the evidence statements, the ITNJ Mission states that “The ITNJ is constituted to uphold natural justice as the foundational tenet of human expression beyond the artifice of borders and boundaries.”
  2. The ITNJ Constitution, as lawfully enacted by men and women of the world, in pursuit of the restoration of truth and reason to the delivery of justice in the world, states that “The Tribunal is an independent judicial body…”
  3. The Constitution further states that “The Tribunal has discretion to sit and exercise its international and worldwide functions in any location anywhere in the world. The Tribunal shall not be restricted from determining any issues or sitting in any particular location. Its jurisdiction shall therefore be universal.”
  4. As the Legal Services Commissioner will no doubt be aware, there is no requirement under international law or English common law for a Tribunal to be recognised by any authority saving those who form it. The historical Court of Record, a right which no statute has the power to abolish, permits any man to convene his own court. The ITNJ is mandated by several thousand men and women (https://www.itnj.org/itnj/itnj-treaty/). It has absolute standing to receive applications from willing participants, to hear cases, and to pass judgments or decrees.

The ITNJ has been very vocal of its intentions to publicly live-stream all of its trials (where it would not harm the case or its participants to do so) – dozens of publicity videos and other literature state this quite clearly.

Additionally, the live-streaming of the NCPA hearing and the filming of the same was discussed with Mr Pragnell when he visited Melbourne in February 2016. He and the NCPA wanted maximum publicity, as the proposed hearing was not a trial as such but rather the seeking of a declaration, for the purposes of applying pressure to the Government of Australia to amend its laws and procedures governing child custody to align with the international covenants to which Australia is already a signatory. There were no unknown people and there were no groups of Aboriginals. All of the people involved are or were members of the ITNJ’s technical team. Further, the media strategy was developed from the same Proposal document referenced earlier in this letter and attached hereto. It clearly states on page 5 that it was the intention of the NCPA to “film and stream proceedings online”.

We note that the original explanation given to us by Mr Pragnell for the suspension of the hearing was that he and other members of the NCPA had received death threats, he himself stating that there was a threat made to burn down his house. Additionally it was understood by everyone, and is well documented, that the ITNJ would make provisions for full security, that the witnesses to be called would be at the option of the NCPA, and that persons who did not wish to give viva voce evidence could give evidence by affidavit, deposition, video conferencing facilities, or even by submission by the NCPA barrister (Maurice Kriss). We also specifically refute the following statements in the complaint as being false or otherwise having no foundation:

  1. Chief Justice Walsh of Brannagh did not induce an application from the NCPA. He welcomed the NCPA’s application once it was lodged, as he does with any application.
  2. No member of the ITNJ has to our knowledge ever stated that the ITNJ is in the process of seeking recognition from the UN. This is something which the ITNJ may or may not do at a future point in time if the Trustees deem it appropriate to do so.
  3. No member of the ITNJ, including Sir John Walsh of Brannagh himself, has ever claimed that Sir John Walsh of Brannagh is a QC.
  4. The ITNJ is not seeking to address human rights abuses committed by Australia Courts, it is seeking to address ALL human rights abuses without fear or favour. It will hear cases against Australian Courts or any other institutions, whether in Australia or elsewhere in the world, if it is appropriately moved to do so and the application is of global significance.
  5. The ITNJ is not an outlet for any individual to gain worldwide publicity for their cases, be it Sacha Stone or otherwise. And the ‘New Earth group’ is actually an outlet for the ITNJ to gain worldwide publicity, not the other way round.
  6. The NCPA was aware that the legal team was involved in running the tribunal and the hearings, but was subject to the Constitution and the involvement of the Trustees, a fact which is quite apparent from the supporting evidence to the NCPA’s complaint. The NCPA complaint makes, as far as we can tell, just one complete and correct assertion – the ITNJ has no statutory or legal authority in Australia. We are indeed proud to say that there are no channels through which the ITNJ and its noble works could be undermined by corporate dictate or colour of law, as is our mandate by the people – natural law is our guide. We intend to keep it this way.

The Board of Trustees sympathise with the NCPA – their plight is an honourable one, and one no doubt fraught with pitfalls and interpositions from third-party vested interests, and thus their ever-suspecting position is understandable. It is unfortunate however that (even if any of the false or misleading statements of Mr Pragnell are to be believed, for no more than want of their own due diligence) they have sought to level such spurious allegations against a fellow organisation committed to a similarly honourable plight. We look forward to the day where the leaders of such organisations may see beyond the shadows in their own hearts and develop sufficient emotional maturity that we may at last collectively serve to restore truth and reason to the delivery of justice in the world.

Finally, of the more than 3,000 men and women who have mandated the ITNJ, many of them are themselves highly decorated individuals from within the legal or enforcement profession who witnessed judicial and systemic corruption throughout their careers, and are now standing with us to restore truth and reason to the delivery of justice in the world. We invite you and all the good men and women of the Victoria Legal Service Commission whom no doubt bear witness to the judicial and systemic abuse running rampant through the people’s institutions, and who no doubt entered their careers with the Commissioner precisely because of the moral fortitude and respect for justice they possess, to stand alongside the likes of Hon Paul Hellyer, fmr Canadian Minister of Defence, Hon Paul Craig Roberts, fmr. Asst US Treasury Secretary, His Grace Bishop Riah Abu El Assal, Bishop of Jerusalem, Dounne Alexander MBE, and Captain Ray Lewis, fmr Philadelphia Chief of Police (all of whom also attended the ITNJ’s inauguration event and ceremonial seating), and ratify the ITNJ Treaty or otherwise participate in this historic initiative.

Yours Sincerely,

Greg Paul
Founding Trustee
International Tribunal for Natural Justice
On behalf of the ITNJ Board of Trustees

 

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