Foster’s uses big beer money to block legal aid to penniless student
April 12th, 2007In an extraordinary move to protect their client - the giant beer baron Foster’s Limited - lawyers Corrs Chambers Westgarth are pressuring the Legal Aid Commission to reject legal aid to student Matthew Drake-Brockman.
Drake-Brockman is taking legal action against Minister Frank Sartor and Foster’s Limited on the basis that the concept plan for the Carlton United Brewery Site is environmentally unsustainable.
With the support of Greens Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor Chris Harris, Drake-Brockman, who has little if any money to take action against a corporation the size of Fosters and the Minister, approached Legal Aid for funding.
Chris Harris: “Here we have a monolithic company that made a profit last year of $1.16 billion, using its lawyers to coerce the Legal Aid Commission to stop a penniless student from getting funds to fight for sustainable development. When it’s all said and done the legal costs to Fosters would probably be in the vicinity of $50,000. That’s about .004% of their profit. This is Goliath attacking David even before he gets his slingshot out.
“Not only is this an outrage, it is in direct contravention of the 1979 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act that provides for citizens with limited funds to take action against corporations or state bodies with far larger financial resources and in direct contravention of Foster’s own Code of Ethics,” Cr Harris said.
Matthew Drake-Brockman has written to the Law Society requesting that Corrs Chambers Westgarth be disciplined for their failure to observe the spirit and letter of the law.
“I call on Foster’s to counsel Corrs Chambers Westgarth on their obligations to society and the rule of law not to coerce, lobby or pressure the Legal Aid Commission about the exercise of its discretion to grant legal aid in matters involving the public interest. I also call on Foster’s to instruct another firm of solicitors, who can demonstrate that they are prepared to act within the spirit of the law and Foster’s own Code of Ethics, to act on their behalf,” Cr Harris said.
To view the correspondence on this issue, click the following links.
