The Outback Court Reporter is the second book by Jamelle Wells with her first being similarly-themed but based in city courts. In this latest book Jamelle blends her skill as an experienced ABC reporter with her personal connections to regional Australia as she was born and raised in outback NSW.
In The Outback Court Reporter Jamelle takes readers through some unusual and sometimes seemingly trivial court cases. There’s the case of the stolen Chupa Chups and a serial shoplifter and even a defamation dispute between two women in the CWA which led Jamelle to write that it was a defamation case “unlike anything” she had ever encountered before.
As well as small-time crime cases there are several of an extremely serious nature involving acts of violence and assault. There are high profile cases in this book too and probably the most well-known of these is the disappearance of toddler William Tyrrell from the village of Kendall on the Mid North Coast of NSW. Jamelle outlines the case and the subsequent inquest that was partly conducted in a courthouse in Taree (due to its proximity to where William disappeared).
What’s also interesting in this book is the back stories Jamelle shares regarding those that appear in the courts; the defendants, the witnesses, the lawyers and the judges, even those in the public gallery. I found this all rather fascinating but even more intriguing were some of the defence arguments offered up by those facing trial and their legal teams.
Through the recounting of various court cases Jamelle provides an insight into the country court system and that of the local reporters who cover the cases. Jamelle spoke to numerous country journalists who acknowledged the difficulty in writing about local people who’ve appeared in court and the retribution they sometimes faced when names and details are published in their local paper.
While Jamelle says in her book that she never set out to write about bigger social issues – such as Australia’s high Indigenous incarceration rate – this did come to the fore during her tour of country courts. She also touches on the devastating effect of drug use in regional communities and issues surrounding domestic violence, both of which were regularly occurring themes in the cases she covered.
This book also covers a story close to Jamelle’s heart; the death of her father, Allan Wells, (a long standing Cobar resident) who passed away in 2019. A chapter is dedicated to the retelling of the circumstances surrounding her father’s death which shines a spotlight on serious issues and flaws in country health services. Due to errors made during her father’s care, Jamelle felt compelled to share details with another journalist which, in turn, set off extensive publicity highlighting inadequate care, systemic failures and tragic mistakes that had occurred in regional hospitals.
The resulting media exposure eventually led to a parliamentary inquiry into NSW Health and regional health services in 2021. Sadly Jamelle doubts anything has or will change.
This book would definitely suit anyone interested in the justice system and or those wanting a bit of a sticky beak into the less glamorous parts of other people’s lives.
Author: Jamelle Wells
ISBN: 9781460711750
ISBN 10: 1460711750
Imprint: ABC Books
Buy through the ARR.News Store
This book review is supported by the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund.
