Oh, hi. Won't be a tick.
Okay, name?
Kim Foster.
And address? Melbourne.
I'll grab an early lunch, Chrissy.
So long as you finish the stairs today.
Des, is that your ute out the back?
Sure is. The tyres need a transplant.
Hey? They're a bit bald.
A man's not made of money.
See what you can do. I'd hate to put you off the road.
I found the perfect gift but I'm $50 short.
Can you pass the hat around? No worries.
It's only an extra 10 each.
What'd you get me?
Not for you. It's for Tom Croydon.
Constable Tom Croydon?
Senior Sergeant now. Do you know him?
Not really.
Do you want to come with us, see him?
No, thanks.
Kim Foster?
Doesn't ring a bell. How old?
Early 30s.
An original Australian.
She's trying to say Aboriginal.
And she's looking for me? Oh, damn!
Hang on. Here.
Parrish, do you mind?
Can't be looking grubby for your ceremony.
It's only a service medal. It's no big deal.
30 years is not to be sneezed at, boss.
It's not as if I've done anything special.
I've just hung around longer.
Yes, Chris.
He'll be so surprised tonight.
We're on our way.
He says he's been assaulted.
I was assaulted. Have a look at me.
JO: What happened?
They were chatting.
I went off to get his sandwich,
all hell broke loose and there's blood everywhere.
So who hit you, Des?
Bloody black bitch, and I want her charged.
I'm the victim. I'm an injured man.
I should be getting tea and sympathy.
I explained. We have to take a statement.
PJ? Go for it.
There I am peacefully enjoying my lunchtime ale,
waiting on my toasted sandwich,
when all of a sudden the black bitch up and king-hits me
for no reason whatsoever.
There must have been a reason.
Nup. Out of the blue.
Chris said you chatted to Ms Foster.
We might've passed the time of day.
What'd you talk about?
You know the trouble here?
Bloody Abos can't hold their grog.
One sip and they're troppo.
I've been up north. I could tell you stories.
I'm sure you could.
But let's stick to the matter in hand.
Absolute and complete racist scumbag!
Not exactly your poster boy for reconciliation, no.
I checked out Kim Foster on LEAP - clean as a whistle.
Of course she is.
I know what happened. That's handy.
The guy's not only scum,
he's also a sleazebucket who can't keep his hands to himself.
How do you know this?
He tried it on me. Didn't know I was a cop.
Were you wearing that red top?
Anyway, I set him straight,
but if he'd added a racist insult
I might have been tempted to smack him, too.
Just a suggestion.
We should listen to the facts
before we start handing out motivations.
Sounds good to me.
He suggested that we have sex, to put it nicely.
When I said no, he called me something I'd rather not repeat.
A racist insult?
You bet.
Was there a witness to the exchange?
What do you reckon?
Right. No witnesses.
I'm sorry I hit him, okay?
Every time I walk into a pub,
some low-life gub like him thinks I'm easy meat.
I can understand the frustration. Can you?!
Well, you've obviously had a frustrating day.
I'm sorry. I just saw red.
What'll happen about this?
You'd be perfectly within your rights
to charge Ms Foster with assault.
Let's do it, then.
Do you know she might counter with an indecent assault charge?
A what?
Or racial vilification.
Could make for a messy court case.
Hang on.
I know for a fact there's other women who'll give evidence
about your inappropriate sexual advances.
This is about the other night, isn't it?
How was I supposed to know you were a cop?
Has it occurred to you that no women like that sort of behaviour?
And if she can prove provocation,
you might find the boot on the other foot.
Alright. I'm not stupid.
I get the message.
I'll drop the charges. Good.
But don't think I don't know what's going on.
You're only looking after her 'cause she's black.
Her skin colour is irrelevant.
Oh, don't give me that!
These days the bloody Abos get away with murder!
There are no charges against you, you're totally free to go.
Thanks.
Next time you see red, count to 10 first.
Yeah.
Stay away from Des while you're at the pub.
For sure.
Otherwise, enjoy your stay in Mt Thomas.
Sorry.
Oh, that's um, Kim! Kim!
That was her.
So I gather, and I've never seen her before in my life.
Wonder why she didn't recognise you?
How'd the presentation go? The usual.
Stuffy speeches, plain assorted biscuits, lukewarm tea.
Can we see it?
It's just a medal.
Congratulations. Thank you.
Think I'll ever get one?
Not unless you stop gasbagging and get back to work.
Right.
You're sure that's enough? Absolutely. Thanks.
What did you end up getting?
An antique mirror. It's fantastic.
It'll look so good above his fireplace.
I'm really happy with it.
I know I put it...
The money's gone.
How much exactly?
$550. I told you.
Everybody put in and the mirror's $600.
Mirror?
(both) The present.
What on earth can I get him now?
What can I get him for a lousy 50 bucks?
The money was in the desk drawer?
Well, it was in the safe,
but I'd taken it out to get ready to go to the shops before closing.
When did you take it out?
Only about half an hour ago.
I know. I'll get him a bottle of French champagne out of stock
and that'll just have to do.
So, you took the money out of the safe?
Then Jeannie called me to the kitchen.
She's in a tizz about the food for tonight.
It's only finger food but we know what she's like.
You went into the kitchen?
I put the money into the top drawer of the desk,
then I left for about 10 minutes at the most.
Did anyone see you put it there?
Well, I don't know.
It was a bit slow, but maybe Des saw something.
Des?
Blewett. He's painting the stairs.
From where he would have had a view of Chris' office.
Listen, mate, each to his own and everything,
but I don't happen to spend my life perving on Chris Riley.
After all, that'd be inappropriate.
You didn't see her take an envelope from a safe and put it in her desk?
I was working with my back to her.
Did you see anyone else around?
Only the female indigenous person.
She came down around that time.
Did she go near Chris' office?
I wouldn't know. I don't perv on her either.
But it wouldn't surprise me.
Oh. Why's that?
You know - anything that isn't tied down.
Can I get on with it?
I gotta be finished this coat by five.
Thanks for your assistance, Mr Blewett.
I came downstairs round about then. So what?
And what did you do?
I didn't go near the office
and if anybody says different, they're lying.
So where did you go?
Straight here, okay?
There's tea making stuff.
I made a cuppa, then sat down and drank it.
Did anyone see you doing this?
I don't know. Probably.
Try and think back. It's important.
Okay, there was this big old guy with white hair in the bar
rabbiting on to another old guy with a bit of a stoop.
Merv and Cec?
Could be.
We'll check it out.
Thanks, Kim.
So I'm not under arrest?
No, of course not. This is just routine.
PJ: Merv said she was in the dining room until Chris came back.
Doesn't mean she didn't nick the money on the way.
With the chance of Des spotting her?
I don't think so.
Face it, Peej, she's off the hook.
Thank you.
Kim, your alibi checks out. You're in the clear.
Told you.
Yeah, sorry about that.
Just routine enquiries, you know?
Yeah, yeah.
So now you can relax and enjoy your stay in Mt Thomas.
Sure.
You might get to meet the Tom Croydon you were looking for.
We're about to give him a surprise presentation
for a service medal he got.
Yeah?
He's kind of an institution round here.
SOUND OF GLASS BEING TAPPED
I think we can begin.
Everybody's here, including the guest of honour, so let's begin.
What's all this about?
It's a little something your community of Mt Thomas
and all your mates and colleagues have got together
in order to celebrate and honour your 30 years of being a cop.
Come on, it's just a service medal.
Well, except in your case, Tom, service means just that.
And not only have you unstintingly for years
worked through Rotary and the church and the community bank,
but you've also been the best and fairest cop
that we could ever have hoped to have had.
Fair go. It's all true.
So, on behalf of everybody here,
we'd like to give you a very small token of our appreciation.
Thank you.
APPLAUSE
Speech, boss.
Thanks very much.
I'm not sure what to say.
I'm sure I don't deserve this.
No, you don't, you bastard!
You're a bloody child stealer and a life wrecker
and you don't deserve anything!
What sort of a community rewards someone
for stealing babies from their families?!
That's what he bloody did!
Me and my brothers and hundreds of others!
You alright? Your bleeding. I think I'm okay.
Get off me, you pigs!
Jo. Cuffs, please.
No! Let me go!
Bastards! You're all bastards!
Just like your boss!
The quicker you calm down,
the quicker you're out of here, alright?
You can't do this!
You can't leave me here!
We'll be back in half an hour.
Just calm down and take some deep breaths, alright?
What are you doing?
Jo, she's got to calm down.
You're treating her like a criminal.
Jo, what do you call assault with a weapon?
She was just upset. She broke a bottle.
You know what damage those things can do.
She wasn't threatening anyone.
Jo.
She's one of the stolen generation.
The boss stole her from her family.
So she says.
But, the boss - I can't believe that's true.
Is it true?
I'm not a Nazi storm trooper, nor am I the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
I don't go around stealing children.
She's got me confused with somebody else.
How come she knew your name when she heard it?
I have no idea.
He has been here all his life.
But she called you a constable,
which is what you were when she was a kid.
How many times do I have to say...
You've never taken any Aboriginal children from their homes?
Not off my own bat, no.
Then, as now, we occasionally assisted the welfare people
to serve a court order.
There you go, then.
Parrish, I resent the implication that I am somehow to blame.
Can I make a suggestion?
It would probably be good to listen to this young woman's story.
We might sort out some misunderstandings.
Yeah, good idea.
Alright. As long as you stay.
If you want me to.
I'd be grateful.
My family lived at a place called Lakes End Mission.
Lake End.
You know it then?
My family had a dairy farm just up the road.
Go on.
There was Mum and Dad, my two brothers and me.
I was the middle one.
Bakers or Carters or Holloways?
Our name was Cook.
Do you want to hear this story or don't you?
Go on.
It was 1973.
I was four years old.
Me and my cousins were playing, and suddenly they grabbed me.
They'd already taken my brothers.
Who was it that came, Kim?
The government, I s'pose.
There were two cops, and you were one of them.
I've changed a bit.
She said your name.
It's all I remember of my mum.
She had dark curly hair and blood on her face.
She was trying to grab me back from you
and she was saying, "You can't do this, Tom Croydon.
"Give me back my babies".
But you took me anyway.
I can still remember the smell of your uniform
as you crushed me to your chest and bundled me into the back of a car.
You were wet and slippery.
You'd been playing in the shallows.
I was afraid I might drop you.
So you do remember.
Yes.
How could you do that?
How could you just break up a happy family like that?
Tom.
You remember it as happy.
That's not the way the Welfare Department saw it,
or us, for that matter.
What would they know?
Only the week before, we'd been called out to a domestic
between your parents, Charlie and Elvira.
The blood you remember on your mother's face -
Charlie had attacked her with a broken bottle.
No way.
He was drunk, of course.
She protected him, said she had just slipped over,
so we didn't... well, we couldn't do anything.
Then Welfare asked Sergeant Rice
to assist them in serving a court order
They'd decided that you kids were neglected and in danger.
No.
I have to say, I agreed with them.
The way I saw it,
I was giving you kids a chance for a better life.
A better life?!
Sure.
Two kids' homes, six foster families,
two sexual assaults, at least 12 schools,
on the run from the Welfare when I was 14,
going on the game.
Fantastic life.
I couldn't have known.
At least I'm alive, which is more than I can say for Donny and Spud.
Your two brothers?
One OD'd,
the other one topped himself in prison.
I'm sorry I hurt you.
I didn't mean to.
Are you happy with the treatment you received by police here today?
Can I go now? Sign here, thanks.
Harry's dead?
How could you be so hard on her?
Excuse me?
Didn't you hear Grace?
Didn't you hear what she's been through
all because of some dumb government policy?
She was stolen from her family.
Not all of us had dream childhoods,
but not all of us go around king-hitting people and taking money.
She didn't take the money. She has an alibi.
I don't know what the hell is going on,
but I think Kim is hiding someone in her room.
I could hear someone.
By the time I got the key to check, there was no-one there.
Jo.
Okay.
I don't get it, Jo.
Kim.
Is it possible to get a second towel?
I wanted to wash my hair.
Really?
We were wondering if we could have a quick look in your room.
Why?
I know you've got someone in there. Because I want a second towel?
You only booked a single.
Okay, I'll pay extra.
You actually haven't paid anything.
I've been at the cop shop all day.
You'll pay extra - so someone's in your room?
No, it means I'm sick of being hassled.
Kim, about the money that was stolen from Miss Riley's office.
I was in the dining room.
Your roommate wasn't.
I just told you...
Maybe it'd just be easier if we had a quick squizz in your room.
Look, forget it.
I took the money. Are you satisfied now?
PJ: So you spotted the money on the way down the stairs?
That's right.
I thought I could sort of borrow it.
It's a drag having no cash.
Then what happened?
I nipped in there and took it.
Then I continued on to the dining room.
Where was Miss Riley then?
Well, obviously she wasn't there.
But you could see the money.
It was on the desk.
Kim, how much money did you steal?
About 40 bucks.
You can count it if you like.
I haven't spent any.
If you drop the charges, I'll pay it all back.
You'll be paying it back whether we charge you or not.
She's confessed, Jo.
A confession is a confession.
She's lying. She doesn't know how much cash she's meant to have taken.
Unless it's just a ploy to avoid paying back any more.
Come on.
Mind you, she would have required X-ray vision
to see the money in the drawer.
Exactly. What are you saying?
We need to investigate this a bit further.
JO: At this stage, you're free to go.
For real?
We do think you're telling us porkies, Kim.
Why would I do that?
Don't know.
Maybe to protect your mate. What mate?
He means the mystery guest in your room.
There's no-one there.
So you keep saying.
If you don't believe me, why not have a look?
That probably won't be necessary. Thank you. Might just do that.
Satisfied?
Yeah. Peej? You could have warned them.
No-one's here and you know it.
Check under there, please.
She's got a point.
How about an apology for doubting my word?
Don't push it.
You understand... CHRIS: Peej! Jo!
Look what I found in the closet. Let me go!
Where did you spring from? Mum!
Leave him alone. It's okay, mate.
Looks like we found our mystery guest.
Okay, I'm sorry. I should have yold you.
Why didn't you?
Hotels are funny about kids.
Well, I'm not.
Anyway, the dollars are a bit tight.
I don't charge extra for kids under 12.
I didn't know that, did I?
See? Honest mistake.
She lied to us.
She's explained that.
What else has she lied about?
Maybe the kid is her accomplice.
He's just a child.
Are you talking to me or about me?
Both, actually, Kim.
Did your son take the money?
Get real.
I'll take that as a no.
Of course he didn't, and I didn't either.
You just said you did.
Only so we wouldn't search her room and find her kid.
Listen, I've absolutely had enough of this.
You've lied to me, you've lied to them.
I want you out of here.
Hang on, you can't do this.
Where are they going to go?
Wherever they were headed to.
You know she's a bit short on cash.
It didn't stop her booking in here.
What about her little boy, Jay?
He's just a kid.
I'm a sucker.
A complete sucker.
Thank you, Chris. You won't regret this, I promise.
CHRIS: Well, thanks very much. What?
They've gone.
Cleared out completely.
Who? Kim and Jay?
Room's empty, car's gone.
Maybe they wanted an early start.
They haven't paid.
I know a moonlight flit when I see one,
and I hope you're not hungry.
I am. I could eat a horse.
They've taken the breakfast buffet with them.
I don't even begrudge them the food.
Neither do I, now.
It's the fact that she conned me out of that room fee, and I fell for it.
Lost my purse - it's the second-oldest one in the book.
What's the oldest one?
What makes me really mad is that it was my instinct to throw them out
and you talked me out of it.
How could I know they'd do a runner?
So I am down $65 for the room,
plus she helped herself to everything that moved -
blankets, towels, pillows.
Chris, could you make a list?
What for?
The crime report.
She doesn't want to charge her. Yes, I do.
It's a lot of effort to go to.
There's no guarantee you'd get the money back.
No, but it will make me feel a hell of a lot better, won't it?
Maybe I could pay for the room,
then, at least, you wouldn't be out of pocket.
What about the blankets?
More money than sense.
It's my money, I can spend it how I like.
On a complete stranger,
just because she happens to be Aboriginal?
How guilty is that?
Somebody ought to feel guilty.
I'm just doing my bit for reconciliation.
Making up for past police racism.
I gather that snide remark is intended for me.
You can't deny you were upholding a racist government policy.
I can deny I'm a racist, if that's the implication.
I'm just saying.
TESS: Yeah, thank you, Jo.
Can someone please give me an update on the cash theft?
It wasn't Kim.
How do you know? She withdrew her confession.
She couldn't lie straight in bed.
Chris isn't laying charges.
Only because Miss Moneybags over here paid her off.
It wasn't Kim, okay?
Alright, what about the kid?
How could it have been the kid? He hid in her room.
How would he know about the money?
So who stole it?
Des Blewett - it has to be.
He's the one with means and opportunity.
Stop banging on about it and bring him in.
JO: Well, the sleazebucket's still here.
That's his ute.
Spot the difference.
New tyres. They were bald yesterday.
How much do you reckon they'd set you back?
Pretty close to 600 bucks.
Not bad for a bloke who's not made of money.
Yeah.
Sign here.
I'd be happy to accept the fact you won the tyre money in a private bet.
And sign here.
I did win it.
And sign here.
That doesn't explain why an envelope
on which Chris Riley had carefully written "Tom's Presentation"
was found scrunched up in a ball in that pig pen you call your ute.
Someone else put it there.
Tell it to the judge.
Jo, Evan, highway service station - report of a theft.
JONESY: On our way.
The kid couldn't get the toilet door open.
He was desperate to go, so I went to give him a hand.
Where was the mother?
Filling up. We're self-serve now.
Anyway, by the time I had helped the kid with the door, she's gone.
A drive off? Mmm.
How much petrol?
$42.34. Plus a stack of lollies and some soft drinks,
and maybe a carton of milk.
No cash? No.
So what happened then?
I went looking for the kid, but he'd gone, too,
like the wind.
Obviously had it down to a fine art.
Can you give me a description of the woman and child?
Dark. Dark hair, dark eyes.
They're what my father called darkies.
Aboriginal? Yes.
JONESY: Kim Cook in NSW.
Bingo.
Priors? You better believe it.
Larceny, shoplifting,
good behaviour bond, more shoplifting,
prostitution, community service order - three months.
There's currently a warrant out for her arrest.
What for?
Assault and kidnapping.
She broke a woman's jaw, the woman who was fostering her son, Jay.
He was made a ward of the state.
She snatched the kid and ran.
That's why she's hiding him.
Scroll down and see what she was doing time for.
There we go - shoplifting.
TESS: Does it say why they took the child away?
Because she was using him as a decoy in her shoplifting racket.
Just like she did today at Doreen's.
What sort of woman uses her own child to help her commit crime?
TESS: We've contacted the informant in NSW, boss.
He's anxious to get her back.
She's got herself into a lot of trouble.
The point is, where is she? How would I know?
What about the place she came from, the Lakes End?
Lake End.
Do you think she could've gone there?
Lake End Mission ceased to exist years ago.
There's a caravan park on the site now.
It's run by a family called Baker.
Baker?
I knew a Harry Baker once.
We were in Vietnam together. He came from Lake End mission.
He was a nice bloke.
Turned out we were at infant school together there.
Maybe he's still there.
He wasn't in '73.
He decided he liked the tropics and went up north.
Might have come back.
Maybe.
I doubt it.
He would have been in touch.
Jo and Evan could ask for him.
No, I'll go.
Are you sure, boss?
No, I'm not sure, Sergeant, but I'm going anyway.
You can't do this, Tom Croydon.
She's my girl.
You can't take her away.
TOM: Elvira, I'm sorry. It's the law.
Mummy! (wails)
It's the law.
Good morning.
I was...looking for the manager.
I'm the manager, also the owner.
I'm... Tom Croydon.
There's a bit more of you, Tommy,
but you haven't really changed that much.
Were you here in 1973?
Forget '73.
I'm talking about 1955, when you refused to sit next to me
'cause you reckoned I smelled.
Annie Holloway.
Now I'm Annie Baker.
Baker?
Harry's widow.
I'm sorry. I...I didn't know.
Why would you?
He was a great bloke.
Why are you here, Tommy?
Anyway, then she just drove off without paying
and nobody's seen her since.
It happens.
Nice place you've got here. You've done a great job.
Not bad for a mob of useless blackfellas, eh?
I have never referred to your people in that way.
Why are you telling me about this messed-up woman?
I thought she might have headed here.
Are you trying to say she's Koori?
Yes.
So all blackfellas stick together?
No...
No, I have not seen her, Tommy,
and even if I had, I don't know that I'd tell you.
Is there anything else?
Did you meet your army buddy?
No.
You spoke to someone?
Haven't you got any work? I want to find this suspect.
Probably halfway back to Sydney.
She stole mostly food and blankets.
I reckon she's camping out.
She's not at Paradise Lakes.
If she's around, maybe she's looking for her family.
Is there anywhere else you can think of, boss?
There's a place at Picnic Point, a couple of Ks from the mission.
It has running water and toilets.
People sometimes camp there.
Let's check that out.
It should be just down there.
Kim's car.
Where are they?
Hey!
Over there.
Unbelievable. Shh!
Shh yourself.
We should just get him.
No. You radio it in.
I'll go and disable the car.
But....
Mt Thomas 309 to Mt Thomas 900.
Received that, Parrish. Hold position and wait for DHS.
What?
Better to let them handle it.
But we're here now.
Parrish, don't argue.
I don't want this woman caused unnecessary distress. Is that clear?
Clear as mud.
It's alright, mate. Mum!
It's okay. Mum!
Let him go!
I'm sorry. It's the law. Mum!
Aaah!
JONESY: Hey!
Go like the wind, matey.
Go to the place I told you about.
Jay!
Jay! Jay!
Constable, this isn't appropriate! She assaulted me.
Get these off me now!
Tell us where Jay's gone.
TOM: What's going on here?
(both talk)
One at a time, please. Sergeant?
Kim's boy is missing.
We've asked her to tell us where he is.
No way you bastards are gonna get your hands on my son.
Why is she cuffed?
Because she kicked me. You stole my baby.
Take the cuffs off her.
This is not a police State.
You heard him.
Yes, you heard him!
Watch it.
No luck?
JONESY: We're dividing up the area.
How far could he have gone?
He'd know his way around the bush, wouldn't he?
Except he's city bred.
We have to find him and there's only a few daylight hours left.
DOOR KNOCK
I got your message.
Things not getting any better, hmm?
It's all turning into a nightmare.
I'm not sure what to do.
On the one hand, we have to find the kid because he's in physical danger.
On the other, you don't want to repeat the sins of the past.
In 1973, I removed Kim from a situation of domestic violence.
Within a year, both of her parents were dead.
Motor vehicle accident, drunk driving.
The body of Kim's mother was claimed by her sister,
Annie Baker.
I know Annie Baker.
She's a formidable woman.
she practically runs the church out at Lake End.
I saw her today for the first time since we were kids.
I completely faltered.
I couldn't bring myself to tell her that Kim may be a relative,
let alone all the other stuff.
Troubled conscience?
I was just doing my job.
So what now?
You didn't tell me she was family.
No, I didn't.
Why didn't you tell me, Tommy?
I...looked at the life you'd made for yourself there,
and I realised I'd taken Kim away from that.
I was ashamed.
But you weren't ashamed back then?
The Aboriginal welfare people
thought the kids might be neglected and in danger.
I'd seen the conditions, I agreed with them.
Back then I thought we were doing the right thing.
Charlie was stolen himself.
He had nothing,
except those kids and the bottle.
And then when the gubbas took away the one thing he loved
and had pride in, his kids, then he leant on the bottle even more.
Well, what are we going to do about little Kimmy?
She still hasn't said anything.
Kim, could you come out here, please?
I'd like you to meet your aunty.
Annie Baker.
Aunty?
Welcome home, daught.
You're just like your mother, god rest her soul.
Cry at the drop of a hat.
Is she...?
Yes, bubby.
Her and your dad passed away a long time ago.
But you've got a little sister, Liddy,
who'll be so stoked to see you.
A sister?
Not to mention a mob of cousins and aunties and uncles.
Yeah?
I hear you've got a little bloke.
Jay. He's 10.
His dad's in jail.
He's a great kid.
Of course he is.
Now, where is he?
JONESY: Jay, your mum's here now.
Come out now, mate.
If he's in there he's not answering.
Why don't you go in after him?
No-one is going in there.
If we go in there, we're likely to pull the place down.
All the more reason to get the boy out of there fast.
He's only going to come if his mother calls him.
Go on, bubby, call him.
No. I can't.
They'll put him in homes with people who'll abuse him.
I don't want that for my son.
You don't have a choice.
He's in real danger.
No, he'll be alright.
He's a good kid. Nothing bad will happen to him.
I won't let it.
What other options do we have?
Search and Rescue are on their way.
They'll shore up the tunnel but it's going to take time.
Gather the others around, will you?
I've got something to say that I think it needs an audience.
Guys, over here.
Kim, I'm not sure if this will help the present situation,
but there's something I feel I have to say.
I owe you a huge apology for taking you away from your family.
I could say that I didn't have any choice,
that I was just doing my job, but that's never strictly true.
We always have some control over our actions.
If I'd made it my business to get to know my neighbours
at Lake End Mission,
then I might have chosen to act differently.
But the fact is I chose to ignore them.
Like most people, I put them out of my mind
and when the crunch came, it was too easy to misjudge them.
Your poor parents.
The government was wrong.
I was wrong.
And for that I am truly and sincerely sorry.
And if I could do anything to give you back the life I stole from you,
I would.
Hey, Jay! Matey!
You can come out now.
It's okay, Mummy's here.
I thought you'd never come.
It's okay, Jay-Jay. It's okay.
Good one, boss.
TOM: Kim's being charged with a number of offences
including theft of petrol and food from the service station
and...assault police.
But for all these charges she'll be released
until the case has come to court.
We've also notified the Aboriginal Legal Service.
So we can go?
Not quite.
See, the problem is the NSW charges.
There's a warrant for Kim's arrest for grievous bodily harm
and actual bodily harm.
That's crap.
You broke a woman's jaw, Kim.
They also wish to speak to you
in relation to unlawfully removing a ward of the state.
The NSW informant is even now on his way down here
to extradite you to face those charges.
He's requested that you be remanded in custody until he arrives.
No. What about Jay?
Of course, this is after all just a request from NSW.
Don't tease the girl, Tommy.
So, after due consideration
I've decided to release you on your own undertaking.
Good lad.
Conditional that you stay with your aunty,
and I've assured NSW that you'll be here
to be interviewed when they arrive.
So, I'm free?
Not quite.
You're facing some very serious charges
and as it's not your first offence,
you could still face a custodial sentence.
What about Jay?
The good news is that it's now government policy
to foster Aboriginal children within their own families
if that's at all possible.
So he can stay with you, Aunty?
Until you come home, daught.
DOOR KNOCK
Grace.
I thought I'd find you here.
I said you wouldn't be going to the pub.
Hardly.
I nominated myself to give you your present.
What present?
The present from the community.
The drink was a stopgap after the money was stolen.
What money?
The money we all contributed.
But since there's some hope of getting that money back
we decided we'd splurge on the original present.
So what do you think?
Well, it's...nice.
It's very nice.
I'm not sure that I deserve it.
Oh, Tom, look in there. What do you see?
You, and a silly old fart in need of a shave
and a good night's sleep.
Do you know what I see?
I see a good and honest man with the courage to admit his mistakes.
And a heart big enough to forgive not just his enemies
but also the people he may have wronged.
I suspect you might be biased.