Commonwealth
Ombudsman
GPO
Box 442
Canberra
ACT
2601 14th
Nov. 2014
Dear
Ombudsman
I wish to register a formal
complaint against the Screen Australia board for banning me, again, without
providing evidence in support of the allegations made against me.
The latest two year ban is really
just an extension of the first two year ban –placed in the absence of any
evidence at all that I had intimidated or placed at risk members of Screen
Australia’s staff.
In reality this is a lifetime ban
because I will continue to be critical of Screen Australia if and when I
believe such criticism is warranted. Likewise, I will praise Screen Australia
when I believe the organization to be deserving of praise.
The
reason for the latest ban has been expressed in the following way:
“That your deliberate, repeated and inappropriate
personal attacks on Screen Australia staff through letters and internet
publications appear intended to humiliate and damage the reputation of Screen
Australia staff in a way that is unacceptable to Screen Australia.”
I
request that the Ombudsman ask of the Screen Australia board examples of when I
have engaged in “inappropriate personal attacks…intended to humiliate and
damage the reputation of Screen Australia staff.” As was the case with the
first lot of allegations (intimidation, ‘placing at risk’) I cannot respond to
these unless I know which of my comments are deemed to have been ‘inappropriate
person attacks.’
I
have asked this question of your office many times now but will do so again:
“Request
of the Screen Australia board that it identify instances in which, in my correspondence
with staff prior to the ban of May 2012, I either intimidated or placed at risk
members of Screen Australia’s staff?”
I
have enclosed some recent letters of mine in which I have sought to resolve
this matter as calmly as is possible for a filmmaker whose career and income
has been severely damaged by the Screen Australia board’s ban.
A
lifting of the board’s ban would have no effect on my ability utilize the
services of Screen Australia. What would come into effect, what was in effect
prior to my official ban, would be an unofficial ban. What is important to me
now, however, is an acknowledgement that no ban should have been implemented in
the first place and an apology from Screen Australia for having done so.
best
wishes
James
Ricketson
Cc
Senator George Brandis
Graeme
Mason, Chief Executive Officer, Screen Australia.
