Liars, page 3
By slightly increasing density at the epicentre of Bullford Point, our proposed apartment and retail hub, adjacent to the currently under-used town square, jetty and beach, will provide a focal point for visitors and locals. The building of 12 tasteful, upmarket waterfront apartments, plus a selection of carefully curated, sophisticated retail outlets – for example, an artisan baker, juicery, homewares emporium and hair stylist – will give tourists and locals a reason to flock to the town centre.
That increased activity will create employment, slow the post-school talent drain to Sydney, and stimulate opportunities for more businesses. The currently wasted potential of the sleepy town square will be brought to life, and Bullford Point will become a vibrant, energetic community, attractive to old and young.
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EXTRACT FROM SUBMISSION TO CENTRAL COAST COUNCIL FROM SUE HITCHCOCK, 23 AUGUST 2024
This proposal is an abomination that will destroy Bullford Point. Your duty as our representatives is to stop it!!! I run the Bullford Point Store, so you would expect me to benefit from this ‘increased activity’, but I, and the majority of residents, DON’T WANT IT! We like our sleepy, quiet town just as it is, thank you very much. Bullford Point is the Central Coast’s best kept secret and we want to keep it that way!! And, we are very curious to know how this monstrosity has managed to get ‘provisional council approval’ so fast!!!!!?????
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TEXTS BETWEEN TOM MALONE AND KAREN KEMP, 17 SEPTEMBER 2024
1.13 p.m.
TOM: Hey, finished a job early, and postponed another till tomorrow so I can come home and see you. You finished work at 12, yes? Afternoon delight? xx
1.27 p.m.
TOM: You about Kaz?
1.40 p.m.
KAREN: Sorry, was out of range. Bushwalking. Home in a couple of hours
TEXTS BETWEEN KAREN KEMP AND JOE GRIFFITH, 17 SEPTEMBER 2024
1.40 p.m.
KAREN: Hey Joe, just near your place. Want a cuppa?
1.41 p.m.
JOE: Is that what you call it?
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GARY TURNER RETWEET OF TV REVIEW, WITH COMMENT, 17 SEPTEMBER 2024
‘Thank you, milady!’ 🙇
‘TELEVISION WATCH’ BY JASMIN FLAYGER, SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 17 SEPTEMBER 2024
This column wishes to apologise for the many times it has maligned the decisions of television executives. I now see that they are far smarter than me. I would never have greenlit LEGO Masters (adults play with kids toys), MasterChef (people cook) or I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! (people who used to be famous lie in bed moaning and occasionally get tortured), but all of them succeeded.
The new Channel Nine show Which Duck? is the weirdest pitch of them all. How did they commission a show about people trying to remove jewellery from animals? It sounds ridiculous. I was absolutely sure it would fail, but Which Duck? is already coming second in its timeslot, and is entertaining and even compelling. Gary Turner is hilariously charming, simultaneously treating the ridiculous premise of the show as important and sending it up, making one wonder why he has been in the television wilderness for the last few years. The show works, it’s rating its bum off, and I should resign.
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EXTRACT FROM CENTRAL COAST CYCLING CLUB NEWSLETTER, 18 SEPTEMBER 2024
Another great race on the weekend, around the 48-kilometre Brisbane Water circuit, and yet another comfortable win for new member Sam Delaney, making it three in a row for the cheery wunderkind. Is he a machine or what?! He modestly put his streak down to beginner’s luck, but I reckon we might have to drug test him! Although why he’d risk it for a $2 plastic trophy I’m not sure! Just jokes, Sam. Well done.
Second again was club champ Viv Griffith, who now faces quite the challenge to retain the title he has held for the last five years. Don’t write Viv off, though. Unlike the rest of us, he never wastes any of his race energy on talking, joking, smiling or eye contact. Laser focus! We luv ya, Viv.
See you next week for the 50-kilometre Gosford to The Entrance and back!
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TEXTS BETWEEN TOM MALONE AND JOE GRIFFITH, 21 SEPTEMBER 2024, 2.34 p.m.
TOM: I know about you and Karen you prick. Thought we were mates
JOE: No idea why you thought that
TOM: We went to school together
JOE: I was two years above you. How many times you visit me in jail?
TOM: I only heard about it when you were about to get out
JOE: That probably means we’re not mates then
TOM: Still a low act. Where is she?
JOE: No idea
TOM: I know she was at your place last night, and I haven’t seen her since
JOE: How do you know that? You spying on her?
TOM: Just know
JOE: She left my place about 9 p.m. Haven’t heard from her since
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CONSTABLE SEB BAXTER DUTY BOOK ENTRY, RECORD OF CONVERSATION WITH TOM MALONE, 18 HOLT DRIVE, BULLFORD POINT, 21 SEPTEMBER 2024
Tom Malone came in to report his girlfriend, Karen, missing. Said he’d last seen her the previous evening when they had dinner, then about 6.45 p.m. she went for a walk, saying she wanted some ‘self time’. He said she had been doing that a bit recently.
He went out to a regular Thursday evening tennis game and afterwards to a pub and ended up staying at a friend’s place in Ettalong because he was over the limit. He got up at 6 a.m., drove home, noticed she wasn’t there, then went to work. During the morning he called and texted her. No reply.
He returned home in the afternoon. No sign of her. Went to the shop where Sue said Karen had not come in for work.
I asked him to go home and check if she had taken any belongings. He said, ‘She wouldn’t have just left like that.’ He said I should ask Joe Griffith where she was. I asked why. He said, ‘Just a feeling.’
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TEXTS BETWEEN JOE GRIFFITH AND ANDY JOHNSON, 21 SEPTEMBER 2024
ANDY: So?
JOE: G’day mate
ANDY: None of that shit. You owe
JOE: I’m good for it
ANDY: Great. I’ll come now. Where are ya? Three grand
JOE: Whoa! 1800
ANDY: We kindly put your debt on hold when you were inside, then AGAIN when you went to rehab. Interest
JOE: I need some time
ANDY: You’ve had 7 months!
JOE: Jail laundry pays three bucks an hour. Need to get it together. I’ve got a job
ANDY: 2 weeks. Interest means 3200 by then. If you don’t come good … I’m not going to threaten you over text, but you know the drill yeah?
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CONSTABLE SEB BAXTER DUTY BOOK ENTRY, PHONE CALL WITH TOM MALONE, 21 SEPTEMBER 2024
Tom rang and said Karen’s bag and most of her clothes were gone. I asked how they had been getting on. He said the last couple of weeks had been ‘tricky’. I asked if she had talked about leaving. He said, ‘Nothing serious.’ I asked if while he was out at tennis, she may have taken her bag and got a bus, Uber or taxi to the train station. He said she had left ‘her favourite dress’. On further questioning, he admitted he wasn’t sure it was her favourite, but ‘I bought it for her and she said she liked it’. I asked him if it was possible she might have left without telling him. He said, ‘No way. And she really liked the dress.’
Tom said he believed Karen was having an affair with Joe, so I should ‘ask that prick where she is’. I advised him not to do anything silly. I said I couldn’t launch a missing persons investigation until twenty-four hours had passed, and even then, we needed to have genuine fears for the safety of the person, and at this stage it seemed most likely that Karen had just decided to leave.
He said, ‘That’s fucking fucked.’
I told him that I would make further informal enquiries. He said he thought he had the phone number of one of her friends in Sydney and would send it to me.
CONSTABLE SEB BAXTER DUTY BOOK ENTRY, CONVERSATION WITH JOE GRIFFITH, 22 SEPTEMBER 2024
Called Joe, and asked about his relationship with Karen. He was initially reluctant to disclose but I mentioned Tom had reported her missing. He said he had been ‘seeing’ Karen, and wasn’t surprised she had left. ‘She talked about leaving him. She was bored shitless. Well, except when she was with me.’
In the circumstances there are clearly not grounds for opening a missing persons investigation.
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EMAIL FROM VIV GRIFFITH TO JOE GRIFFITH, 22 SEPTEMBER 2024
Hi Joe,
Can you confirm when my rent is coming. We co-own the house, not in exactly the proportions I had anticipated, but nonetheless. Can you set up a direct bank transfer for the first of each month?
Mum’s will made it clear your two-thirds of the house gives you a controlling interest in decisions, so whilst Dev’s offer to buy the house affects me, you get to decide. I hope we can discuss and agree on a course of action.
I think we should sell for the following reasons:
Co-owning property with anyone is not my preferred option, as it diminishes the autonomy of both parties.
Dev’s offer is significantly above market value.
If we don’t sell, her development might reduce the value of our property.
If we sell, with your share you could buy another comfortable home here.
Viv
EMAIL FROM JOE GRIFFITH TO VIV GRIFFITH, 23 SEPTEMBER 2024
Probably sell. Let you know soonish.
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EMAIL FROM BARB YOUNG TO VIV GRIFFITH, 24 SEPTEMBER 2024
Hi Viv,
Just letting you know that Joe has been going very well. He helped me for three days this week, clearing gutters, gardening, cutting bamboo and digging out the roots, fixing windows and painting. He was on time, worked hard and, importantly, when we had a drink at the jetty afterwards, didn’t even glance sideways at my beer as he sipped his lemonade. Good signs!
I’m sure he felt a bit of pride when I handed him his pay, even if it was just a piece of paper with the amount written on it. I was going to give him cash, so he could see a tangible result of his labour, but remembered what you said and did a bank transfer.
Best,
Barb
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EMAIL FROM JOE GRIFFITH TO GARY TURNER, VIV GRIFFITH, DEV KERALA, SEB BAXTER, 24 SEPTEMBER 2024
Hi guys, thanks for your support since I got back. I know I’ve said it before, but this time I’m going to sort myself out!
With my history I’m not going to walk into a job as involving and rewarding as the ones you guys have worked hard to get, but I’ll get there eventually, and am looking into studying part-time. Meanwhile, I’ll keep working for Barb, but she only needs me part-time, and I want to keep busy. At rehab they always said, ‘Find hobbies you’re interested in. Don’t have lots of unstructured time. When you’re not interested in anything else, your addiction gets interested in you.’
I’ve thought about playing music again, and I might, but there’s another project I’m really excited about. Here goes. I’m doing a true crime podcast about Sal and her murder, and the killer they never caught.
I hope it will be a therapeutic way for me, and perhaps all of us, to work through the pain of her death. In rehab they make you delve into why you take drugs, and the shock of her murder was definitely something that pushed me closer to making bad decisions. They also tell you not to hide from the feelings that unpleasant events caused, and I’ve certainly been guilty of that.
Anyway, the podcast will be a creative outlet for me. Plus, I might catch the bastard. I’ll be asking you all to do an interview with me about Sal, and what happened. Seven years on, I hope it’s not too painful for you. It might even be nice to reminisce about those crazy days when we were all in a band, trying to take over the world. I’ll treat all interviews sensitively and can stay off any topics you don’t want to revisit.
Thanks in advance,
Joe
EMAIL FROM VIV GRIFFITH TO JOE GRIFFITH CC GARY TURNER, DEV KERALA, SEB BAXTER, 24 SEPTEMBER 2024
Joe,
We want to help you, but I think this is a bad idea for the following reasons:
It dredges up bad memories.
If Sal’s murder prompted you to use drugs, maybe dredging it all up will do it again.
The police couldn’t find Sal’s killer, so what hope have you got?
I don’t like podcasts. I prefer listening to music.
Maybe you could learn French instead?
Viv
EMAIL FROM JOE GRIFFITH TO VIV GRIFFITH CC GARY TURNER, LEANNE HITCHCOCK, DEV KERALA, SEB BAXTER, 24 SEPTEMBER 2024
Understand your concerns. I’ll be fine. Back then, I was an accident waiting to happen, but now I understand why I went off the rails, and how I can stay on the straight and narrow. The podcast will help. I want to know what happened. It infuriates me that someone killed Sal, and two other women. Just because the cops didn’t solve it doesn’t mean I can’t. I know firsthand how hopeless cops can be. I did heaps of stuff they didn’t catch me for.
True crime podcasts are popular, and lots of unsolved murders have been solved by podcasters. I’ve listened to a few and I reckon I can do it. You need a microphone and a bit more equipment, but it’s not too expensive and pretty technically simple. Gary is a media slut expert, so he can help me.
At rehab they said you need to take out the things that hurt you and hold them up to the light, not hide them away. Hiding painful things away causes people to ‘act out’ with drugs, alcohol, violence, anger etc.
Joe
EMAIL FROM GARY TURNER TO JOE GRIFFITH CC VIV GRIFFITH, DEV KERALA, SEB BAXTER, 24 SEPTEMBER 2024
Seems like your mind’s made up and we all know how hard it is to get you to change it. I’m happy to help. I know a bit about putting a narrative together, so can listen and give you feedback. And Viv can give you legal advice so you don’t defame anyone!
EMAIL FROM VIV GRIFFITH TO GARY TURNER, 24 SEPTEMBER 2024
Why are you encouraging him? It’s a terrible idea.
EMAIL FROM GARY TURNER TO VIV GRIFFITH, 24 SEPTEMBER 2024
He’s decided. You know how stubborn he is. The more anyone tells him not to do it, the more he’ll want to do it. Don’t worry, he’ll probably realise it’s harder than he thought and lose interest after a week and start those French lessons.
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EMAIL FROM SUE HITCHCOCK TO VIV GRIFFITH, 25 SEPTEMBER 2024
Hi Viv,
I’m leading the campaign to stop the terrible development at the jetty. The original plans were bad enough, but imagine my horror when I discovered they want to add your dear parents’ house. Shops and a giant apartment block next to the jetty will destroy our peaceful paradise, and once they’ve got one through, the floodgates will open, and our sleepy home will become the Gold Coast.
As you know, Joe and I aren’t on good terms, so I’d prefer not to discuss this directly with him, but I can’t believe you and he would sell to these vandals, so please tell me you won’t. Let’s keep Bullford Point the special place that it is.
Sue
EMAIL FROM VIV GRIFFITH TO SUE HITCHCOCK, 25 SEPTEMBER 2024
Hi Sue,
Understand your concerns, but Joe has the controlling interest in the house. He is the decision maker, and I understand why someone offering to buy the house for more than it is worth is appealing. He has a high-value asset, but little income. If he wants to sell, there’s not much I can do about it.
Viv
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EMAIL FROM DEV KERALA TO SUE HITCHCOCK, 26 SEPTEMBER 2024
Hi Sue,
It’s such a shame that you and I, who both love Bullford Point and are part of the community, are on opposite sides regarding Inspire Property’s proposed development. It would be lovely to sit down with you and try to work out a win-win. After all, we both want the same thing – what’s best for Bullford Point.
Would it help if we could guarantee that none of the shops in our retail hub would, in any way, be in competition with yours? If we did that, our modelling indicates the extra trade would give you a 30 to 35 per cent increase in turnover!
We are also looking for someone who can take on an ambassadorial role and be the link between us and the community. A trusted voice who can explain the benefits to residents. You would be amazing! It’s a paid role. Shall we talk?
Dev
EMAIL FROM SUE HITCHCOCK TO DEV KERALA, 26 SEPTEMBER 2024
How dare you try to bribe me! Stop trying to destroy our community, which you are NOT part of. You live in Ettalong, nearly 15 minutes’ drive away.
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EMAIL FROM DEV KERALA TO GARY TURNER, 27 SEPTEMBER 2024
Hi Gary,
Great to catch up at the club and congrats on the new show!! It’s amazing. So fun. I loved it!! I always knew you’d make it. Sooo much talent!
As mentioned, there is a great opportunity for investors in our development at Bullford Point. We have two houses near the jetty, and are just waiting on the third owner – Joe – to commit. I’m confident he will, and then away we go.
Because you’re such a dear friend, I wanted to give you the opportunity to invest before we open it up more widely. Moneywise, it’s as close to a sure thing as you can get. Our conservative estimate is that you’ll make a shitload!
I’ve attached a prospectus with all the deets.
Dev xx
EMAIL FROM GARY TURNER TO DEV KERALA, 27 SEPTEMBER 2024
Hi Dev,
Thanks for the kind words and for thinking of me. As it happens, my new TV show is paying rather generously and I am looking for investment opportunities, especially those that return a shitload. Definitely interested. Give me a call.
