I am asking your support to help me raise funds to assist my friends Annabel and Greg Digance defend themselves in their legal fight against criminal charges that have been laid against them as a result of their dealings with the current leader of the ALP in SA, Peter Malinauskas.

As many of you would know, Annabel served as the ALP member for Elder in the SA State Parliament from 2014 to 2018.

In early 2021, Annabel blew the whistle in the media about certain conduct that she witnessed within the SA ALP. Annabel was due to give evidence about those matters before a Select Committee of Inquiry of the SA Parliament, due to commence in late April 2021. Those hearings would have afforded an opportunity for Annabel to speak freely, fearlessly, and extensively about what she knew, and had seen and experienced in her many years as an ALP member and as a Member of Parliament.

At 7.15am on 14 April 2021, Annabel and Greg had their house raided by 13 Detectives and were arrested and charged by the South Australia Police with the serious crime of Blackmail, which carries a potential penalty of fifteen years imprisonment.

Be assured, I have known Annabel and Greg for over thirty-five years. They are honest and loyal Australian citizens who would never contemplate such a serious breach of the criminal laws of South Australia. They have demonstrated their strong commitment to the South Australian community through their respective careers and business activities, and of course, through Annabel’s election as member for Elder. Annabel was widely respected as a dedicated and hard-working politician.

Significantly, it has now come to light that the conversations and dealings with Mr Malinauskas that form the basis of the charges now facing Annabel and Greg occurred in and around February-March 2020; however, it was not until April 2021 – some 12+ months later, and just a matter of weeks before Annabel could have given evidence before the parliamentary committee – that these charges were laid and Annabel and Greg were arrested.

There is no discernible basis as to why Annabel and Greg were arrested and charged after a delay of more than one year. But the fact that Annabel and Greg were arrested and charged did allow the ALP, with the assistance of some independents, to delay indefinitely the commencement of the Inquiry, on the basis that Annabel and Greg were now involved in a Court matter.

As you may have heard reported in the media (Google search: Malinauskas + Digance + blackmail), Annabel and Greg’s lawyers have been arguing in court that this is a malicious prosecution and an abuse of process, instigated by Mr Malinauskas and the ALP in an attempt to shut down the Parliamentary Select Committee of Inquiry. Annabel and Greg’s lawyers are currently asking the Magistrates Court to force Mr Malinauskas to appear as a witness and give evidence in relation to his involvement in these charges and, particularly, the timing of SAPOL proceeding to arrest and charge Annabel and Greg.

Fortunately, the Digances have a hard-working legal team fighting for them who remain confident that these charges will be shown for what they are, and will be defeated. As can be expected, however, their legal costs – not only those already incurred, but also those yet to be incurred, in what looks to possibly be a very lengthy legal fight – are significant.

It is really important that Annabel and Greg are supported and have the necessary funds to fight these charges and prove their innocence. Like many people I have spoken with, I believe it is a community expectation that the entire story is known, from all sides, and that the whole truth comes out.

So, if you care that individuals with important information to share about powerful people should not be (and should not be able to be!) silenced, and if you care about our system of justice and that it operates free of political interference, then I urge you to please consider helping Annabel and Greg Digance with their fight.

I ask that you join with me (and many others of our friends) in helping Annabel and Greg, by donating however much you can afford, and sharing this message as far and wide as possible so that this case can be fully funded and allow the whole truth to be known.

All funds contributed to assist Annabel and Greg via GoFundMe will be held and administered by a third-party law firm, for the express purpose of payment of legal fees and associated costs incurred by Annabel and Greg in this legal fight. The funds will be applied to Greg and Annabel’s ongoing legal fees and costs, and thereafter to assist Greg and Annabel with the legal fees and costs that they have already had to pay. In donating funds via this method, you can choose to have your name shown, or remain anonymous.

Upon finalisation of this case, any remaining funds will be distributed equally between: (1) Lifeline, (2) Beyond Blue and (3) the Australian Red Cross.

Irrespective of whether or not you are able to assist financially, please continue to follow this case in the media.