TJA (Transformative Justice Australia)Conferencing is a process to address conflict in groups and is often referred to in the justice arena as Restorative Justice Conferencing.
2.
In writing this article, those intimately involved, including Maureen O'Donnell, Craig Williams, Williams' counsel, the prosecutor from the Department of Environment and Conservation, Justice Preston, and people close to both Maureen O'Donnell and Craig Williams have contributed to the story and agreed to its publication. In addition, the judgment of the court is available publicly on the AustLII web site at http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/nsw/NSWLEC/2007/96.html while the contact for Craig Williams' solicitor, Robert Wilcher of Herbert Geer and Rundle Lawyers, is available at http://www.hgr.com.au/. The solicitor for the Department of Environment and Conservation, Rasheed Sahu Khan, can be contacted at rasheed.sahukhan@environment.nsw.gov.au and Patrick Shepherdson of the Attorney-General's Department of NSW can be contacted at patrick_shepherdson@agd.nsw.gov.au. (Note: the Department of Environment and Conservation is now known as the Department of Environment and Climate Change, though this was not the case at the time of the trial.)
3.
Garrett v Williams, Craig Walter [2007] NSWLEC 96 para 75.
4.
Ibid para 41.
5.
Ibid para 44.
6.
Ibid para 113.
7.
Maureen is also involved in numerous committees with National Parks and Wildlife and other government and community agencies, and is on the Board of Management for Mutawintji, a national park with significant importance to Aboriginal people. As stated earlier, the Pinnacles are of special significance to the Wilyakali people and their involvement was central to any understanding and possible resolution.
8.
Garrett v Williams, Craig Walter [2007] NSWLEC96 para 64.
9.
Ibid para 113.
10.
It is worth noting that Craig Williams had no prior convictions for environmental offences and that several prominent members of the community came forward to offer character references.
