Something pissed me off today! I came across Valerie’s Story on change.org and immediately signed the petition. My comment was: “This situation is disgusting and is a clear human rights issue. Why are we so backward and so willing to disregard basic human rights here in WA?”
Please read and sign the petition. I don’t know the lady, but this story does not surprise me.
‘A few years ago I was at a desperately low ebb in my life. I was a 40-something single mother of three kids who had just fought my way out of an abusive relationship. I worked hard at a range of jobs (book keeper, courier driver, Avon rep) but money was always tight.
Then I somehow fell into the darkest years of my life. I fell in love with a man who used drugs and I started using too, soon after I started selling some (to people already using) to fund my habit and to make ends meet. I know now it was wrong. I wasn’t thinking clearly but I became trapped in this world and didn’t know how to get out.
Eventually I was caught and sentenced to six years in jail. I served four horrifying years and am on parole and working so hard to re-establish my relationship with my kids, siblings and elderly parents. I’m also helping to care for a dear friend who has terminal lung cancer and no family in Australia.
But unbelievably, now the government is planning to sell my home of 30 years which would make my three children and I homeless. The home, in fact all my assets, were taken under the Criminal Property Confiscation Act 2000 – the act was passed so the government could take the assets of drug traffickers with unexplained wealth.
But I can prove I bought my home with money I acquired legally. In fact, I’ve had it so long that I’ve done many renovations on it over the years, added a second story. It breaks my heart to think I’ll lose this home, the only family home my children have ever known. I feel like I am being punished twice, and they’re taking something I legally own.
The DPP or the Attorney General can choose not to sell the house, but they are proceeding to do so. I have tried every avenue I can to try and stop it happening. We took it to the Supreme Court, the Human Rights Commission, but no one is willing or able to help despite many agreeing the law is unfair.
This petition and your support is our last hope. If the house is sold my children, our 2 dogs and I are going to be homeless. Because of my parole conditions I may return to prison unless I can find suitable accommodation.
This will be very difficult as I have no rental history, I have a criminal record and I am now on a disability pension with limited income. It will cost the community more to keep me in prison or supply me with state housing for the rest of my life than to let me keep my home.
I simply want to live at home and become a full member of society again. Please help me by signing my petition.
To:
Minister Michael Mischin, WA Attorney General
Minister Michael Mischin, WA Attorney General
Please do not let the DPP sell Valerie Whittle’s home. She has served her punishment for the crime she committed and should not be punished again.
To stop this from happening again and to protect the human rights of all Western Australians, please draft legislation to enact the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which has been signed and ratified by Australia.
Sincerely,
[Your name]”