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frumpleton's review
4.0
An epilogue of sorts to Condon's Three Crooked Kings trilogy, tying up loose threads left by the trilogy as more and more people came forward to share their stories in the wake of Condon's expansive investigation into Queensland corruption within the police force.
The book gives glimpses into what it was like for Condon to interview Terry Lewis, and the tactics Lewis used to elude Condon's investigative questions and at times his strong-arm intimidation when Condon moved further away from Lewis's intent with the project -- a whitewashing biography of his time as Commissioner of Police.
Much of Little Fish Are Sweet (the title derived from what Terry Lewis reportedly said whenever he got a bribe) instead focuses on a potentially more terrifying part of Queensland history than the institutionalised corruption of The Joke. Condon finds that the corruption spreads to an entire community apparatus in place to protect someone who might be one of the world's worst paedophiles, Clarence Howard-Osborne, a photographer and court stenographer who may have abused over 2,500 children over decades and made over 10,000 articles of child pornography for high court judges, noted politicians, senior police, public servants, teachers, and god knows who else. Clarence killed himself before a proper investigation could be launched into his meticulous collection (he kept files on everyone involved, not only the victims) and this giant paedophile ring, as Condon reveals that Clarence was most possibly the link tying government, police, and other corrupt elements of the community together. Condon also discovers that Clarence has links to the notorious paedophile ring in Westminster.
Even more crushingly, the police trying to investigate this are constantly sidelined as this is during Terence Lewis's tenure and his links to Joh's government would be compromised if the government were brought down by any of this information being made public. Not to mention the senior police and numerous careers of notable people ruined by being revealed as paedophiles. So all of Clarence's mountains of files are locked away in a back room of police headquarters, and the few officers who feel morally obligated to look into these files to find those involved must do it without even telling their colleagues.
Of course, this is completely covered up by senior police and the files are lost to history, which is why this horrific episode of Queensland history is unknown. This is by far the most frightening book in the series, as it puts forward the thought that Joh's government, along with the police, were heavily involved in a deeply organised paedophile ring spanning hundreds of people, and covered it up nearly without a trace. We only have Matthew Condon's investigative journalism 30-40 years after the fact, and numerous eyewitnesses giving interviews on the strictest anonymity as evidence.
The book gives glimpses into what it was like for Condon to interview Terry Lewis, and the tactics Lewis used to elude Condon's investigative questions and at times his strong-arm intimidation when Condon moved further away from Lewis's intent with the project -- a whitewashing biography of his time as Commissioner of Police.
Much of Little Fish Are Sweet (the title derived from what Terry Lewis reportedly said whenever he got a bribe) instead focuses on a potentially more terrifying part of Queensland history than the institutionalised corruption of The Joke. Condon finds that the corruption spreads to an entire community apparatus in place to protect someone who might be one of the world's worst paedophiles, Clarence Howard-Osborne, a photographer and court stenographer who may have abused over 2,500 children over decades and made over 10,000 articles of child pornography for high court judges, noted politicians, senior police, public servants, teachers, and god knows who else. Clarence killed himself before a proper investigation could be launched into his meticulous collection (he kept files on everyone involved, not only the victims) and this giant paedophile ring, as Condon reveals that Clarence was most possibly the link tying government, police, and other corrupt elements of the community together. Condon also discovers that Clarence has links to the notorious paedophile ring in Westminster.
Even more crushingly, the police trying to investigate this are constantly sidelined as this is during Terence Lewis's tenure and his links to Joh's government would be compromised if the government were brought down by any of this information being made public. Not to mention the senior police and numerous careers of notable people ruined by being revealed as paedophiles. So all of Clarence's mountains of files are locked away in a back room of police headquarters, and the few officers who feel morally obligated to look into these files to find those involved must do it without even telling their colleagues.
Of course, this is completely covered up by senior police and the files are lost to history, which is why this horrific episode of Queensland history is unknown. This is by far the most frightening book in the series, as it puts forward the thought that Joh's government, along with the police, were heavily involved in a deeply organised paedophile ring spanning hundreds of people, and covered it up nearly without a trace. We only have Matthew Condon's investigative journalism 30-40 years after the fact, and numerous eyewitnesses giving interviews on the strictest anonymity as evidence.
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