Former NT Attorney General John Elferink is calling on convicted killer Bradley John Murdoch to reveal where Peter Falconio’s body is, to give his family closure, before cancer claims his life

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now.

Speaker 2 (00:00):
A little earlier this morning, we heard from Assistant Northern
Territory Police Commissioner Travis Wurst about the reward that is
being offered for information leading to the discovery of Peter
Falconio's body. Now joining us on the line is a
voice that we haven't heard on the show for quite
some time. It's the former Northern Territory Attorney General, John L. Frank.

(00:21):
Good morning, John, Oh, do we have him? We're having
some issues there with that phone line. Hopefully I've got him.
Are you able to hear me? John? Have you've got
me on the line? Now? Good to speak to you.
It's been a few years.

Speaker 1 (00:38):
How are you. I'm very well. Thank you for asking.
Missing the weather of the tropics very much.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
Indeed, I bet you are now as the former Attorney
General of the Northern Territory, I was really interested to
obviously see that you've spoken to the Northern Territory News
and you are, indeed, you know, calling for Bradley John
Murdock to you to finally reveal where Peter Falconio's body

(01:05):
is well.

Speaker 1 (01:07):
As Bradley Murdoch moves towards the oblivion that he is
inexorably exposed to by the cancer which has lived in
his body now for a number of years. He has
an opportunity to clear the decks, and in doing so
doing two things, one acknowledging the crime that he committed,

(01:29):
and to giving some closure to the parents of Peter
Falconio in relation to the directing police to where the
body was, or at least being able to generally describe
where the body was, so that the family does actually
have some closure. So this is an appeal to that
organ that he calls a heart, which in my opinion

(01:53):
is a desiccated and shriveled thing, but nevertheless an appeal
so that at least his parents, as an active Felka
of Murdoch's charity for lack of better words, have closure
and get to bury their son once and for all.

Speaker 2 (02:12):
John, do you think he's capable of revealing that information
and giving them that closure.

Speaker 1 (02:19):
Of course he's capable of it. As long as that
he is still conscious, he will be able to give
that closure. The question is whether he chooses to, and
so far he has demonstrated a level of selfishness which
is ordering on the psychopathic.

Speaker 2 (02:37):
Yeah, I guess, I say, when do you think you know,
if you think he's capable, I don't mean physically, but
I guess you know, I mean, you know, do you
think he's got that level of you know, kindness. I
don't know that he would to be able to do
that well.

Speaker 1 (02:55):
Clearly on he's so far his track record would suggest
that he doesn't have it within him. However, as he
faces the inevitable, perhaps he has some time to reflect
and determine that has a last act, he can at
least do one thing which has a shred of nobility
written into it.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah. Look, we spoke to the police just a little
while ago. They said that they've tried to engage with him,
most recently this week as I understand it, but he
is remaining tight lip. Are you surprise that he's remaining
tight lipped.

Speaker 1 (03:29):
No, It's consistent with his track record, which is disappointing.
And ultimately, if he does pass from this life, then
he will take those secrets with him, leaving, of course,
as his PostScript, a continuation of the trail of destruction
which has been his life to this point.

Speaker 2 (03:50):
John, you and I spoke about this all those years
ago when the legislation was introduced as well. Nobody no parole.
Remind us how how that works and how it applied
in Murdoch's case.

Speaker 1 (04:04):
Well, look, it was not directly targeted at Murdock. It
certainly didn't use his name, but I wasn't oblivious to
the fact that he was going to be captured by it.
But the thrust of the nobody no Parole is that
when you are sentenced for any crime, it is common
for non parole periods to be described by the judge
or ultimately inferred by legislation. The Nobody no Parole legislation

(04:29):
simply said this, if you don't identify the body, and
if you don't try at least to take the authorities
to the body, then any parole that is extended to
you will be withdrawn and you will serve your first sentence.
That's exactly Oh, we seem.

Speaker 2 (04:45):
To have lost on there. Yeah, sorry, go on.

Speaker 1 (04:48):
That was exactly how it was going to apply to
any murderer who didn't reveal the body or at least
attempt to, and in Murdoch's case, that would have applied
to him.

Speaker 2 (05:00):
Yeah. Look, I really hope that there is some further
information to come forward. I hope that somehow the Northern
Territory police are able to locate Peter fel Coonio's remains
and you know, give his family that closure.

Speaker 1 (05:16):
Indeed, I'm not optimistic, but I love to be proved
wrong in this case.

Speaker 2 (05:21):
Yeah, same here, Hey, John, I mean, like I guess,
there's always whenever we talk about this situation, there is
always some that believe that Murdoch wasn't guilty. I mean,
are there any doubts in your mind? Whatsoever? No?

Speaker 1 (05:38):
Beyond a reasonable doubt was the standard that was applied
by the jury. The jury was told by the judge
to apply that standard, and that's the standard that was applied.
There have been no shortage of armchair lawyers who have
been voicing their opinions on social media, but sadly social

(06:00):
media has been become a car buncle on the foot
of the judicial system, and those armchair lawyers I would
advise to simply subordinate themselves, as I do, to the
legal systems that we have, which examined the evidence in
detail in a careful and considered and sober way in

(06:21):
a courtroom where they hear all the facts, and let's
rely on that system to provide justice in an effective way,
which it does.

Speaker 2 (06:29):
Yeah, I agree with you well. John L. Frank, the
former Attorney General of the Northern Territory. Good to chat
with you this morning.

Speaker 1 (06:36):
Lovely to talk to you, Katie and miss I'm missing
the weather, I can tell you.

Speaker 2 (06:40):
Yeah, it's lovely here at the moment you are missing out,
John L. Frank, thank you, thanks for your time. Jeers,
thank you.