Networked Knowledge - Media Report

Monday 18 June 2007 - Channel 7 Today Tonight (Adelaide)

This version of the transcript has been edited by Dr Robert N Moles

Custody Disputes and Polygraph Testing

In order of appearance

Gavin Wilson: Polygraph expert
Ann Bressington MLC South Australia

Program

Gavin Wilson

In your entire life have you ever physically abused your children?

Man on polygraph

No.

Ann Bressington MLC

It’s for a lot of people the only way they've got to show any evidence at all that they are innocent of the accusstions.

Gavin Wilson

Did you ever threaten to kill your wife?

Man on polygraph

No.

Frank Pangallo

They say “mud sticks”. But what happens if you are accused of terrible crimes - even against you own children - and there's no evidence required?  It's all too common a cry from parents who've been through courts, or subject to bureaucratic decisions, which split up families. Sometimes forever.  No one likes the thought of children being mistreated, but surely there needs to be evidence before a parent is found guilty. That's the story according to two men who can no longer see their children or even pass messages to them.  

Man

The lies. I just can't keep up with the lies. It's absolutely impossible. There are no defence mechanisms behind you.  

Frank Pangallo

What makes it worse is the blanket of silence thrown over these cases designed to protect children, but which also make it almost impossible for an accused person to publicly protest their innocence. For example this is Larry - not his real name. We can't tell you that. Nor can we tell anything about him - or his family. We can't tell what he's accused of - or what he might say in his own defence. However, the accusations are horrendous. He can't contact his children. He can't even tell them he loves them. He's more or less ceased to exist.

Man from overseas

This situation is not good for my son. He is very worried. And for myself, where are my rights, my human rights?

Frank Pangallo

This man we'll call Ahmed. A mild-mannered academic caught up by uncompromising immigration laws. He's unable to work, and now faces deportation back to the Middle East after his estranged wife accused him of domestic violence and then was given a protection visa.

Gavin Wilson

Did you ever physically assault your wife?

Man on polygraph

No.

Gavin Wilson

Have you ever sexually abused your children?

Man on polygraph

No.

Frank Pangallo

In a last desperate bid to be heard, they've taken polygraph tests conducted by former policeman Gavin Wilson. We'll reveal their startling results a little later.

Gavin Wilson

The way I see it, it is a terrible situation because you have these people accused of offences and they've got no way of proving their innocence. Nobody seems to believe what they’re saying.

Frank Pangallo

At least Independent MP Ann Bressington's listening. She's paying Gavin Wilson to test 12 individuals in a trial she hopes may pave the way for lie detectors to be recognised by courts, and government departments, like the beseiged Families SA.

Ann Bressington MLC

Polygraphs are used in the USA. They are accurate and take the doubt away if a person has actually abused and neglected their child. We need to be utilising the polygraph, identifying where false allegations are made and where they are. It needs to be an offence and people punished for it. We need to polygraph people within Child Protection for that kind of work, so we can minimise mistakes being made.

Man called “Larry”

Not a day goes by without me thinking about my kids, tucking them in at night (cries).

Frank Pangallo

“Larry” hasn't seen his children since they were taken away from him by Families SA after he sought their help for his mentally-ill wife more than a year ago.

Man called “Larry”

Instead of helping us they just made our life hell.

Frank Pangallo

And took your kids?

Man called “Larry”

Took our kids away.

Frank Pangallo

The Department has made terrible accusations about him - he denies them. But they don't seem to believe him, or his wife who lives with him.

Man called “Larry”

My wife isn't allowed to tell the children that I love them?

Frank Pangallo

Why?

Man called “Larry”

Because it would encourage a bond and the Department don't want a bond between the children and myself.

Frank Pangallo

Even worse for Ahmed. Harsh Islamic law in his home country will result in him being jailed if he can't pay his wife a substantial dowry, enforced once a marriage breaks down.

Ann Bressington MLC

He's in a hopeless situation. He can't work while he’s here. He's surviving on the goodwill of friends. How dare any government department State or Federal put one human being in that position?

Frank Pangallo

So who's telling the truth? Lie detectors, used by credible and experienced experts like Gavin Wilson are said to have an accuracy rate of between 96 and 98 per cent. All the serious accusations levelled against “Larry” and “Ahmed” were tested by Gavin. He says they passed very easily. Ann Bressington has also had two others tested on the polygraph..and like “Larry” and “Ahmed”, they too passed easily.

Ann Bressington MLC

A lot of action taken based on false allegations, and this is an area where you can’t afford to have human error.

Man called “Larry”

It's crazy. You can see the emotional damage its done me. I am only here today in the belief I will get my kids back. I'll never give up on my children, my family. I love them so much.

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