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My journalism career began when I was arrested for armed
robbery on October 13, 1969.The following year I escaped
from the Long Bay State Penitentiary in Sydney,
Australia. I was recaptured six weeks later and charged
with four counts of armed robbery including the Yagoona
and Rozelle ANZ Bank robberies. I was sentenced to
18-years imprisonment.
I served ten and a half years but for 8 years I was
classified as an intractable prisoner and housed in
Supermax conditions within New South Wales prisons. I
was the only Australian prisoner to serve the longest
time inside Australia's first Supermax prison - Katingal
Special Security Unit.
In 1979 I became the first Australian prisoner to
complain to the Australian Press Council concerning
censorship of prison related issues and misleading
reports published in the mainstream media. In 1980 The
Australian Press Council made a recommendation that
marginalised groups such as prisoners and ex-prisoners
should receive fair and equal reportage in the
mainstream media.
In 1993 I became the first Australian ex-prisoner to be
admitted into the Australian Journalist Association
(Freelance Journalist Section) of the Media
Entertainment and Arts Alliance without tertiary
qualifications or conventional work experience within
the Australian media. My admission was based upon the
quality and quantity of my published work since 1979.
In 2004 three articles I wrote were each short listed
for the Queensland Media Awards. It was humbling
experience on October 8, 2004 to win two of those
awards: Best Feature Article by a Journalism Student-All
Media and Best Feature Article published in The
Electronic Media. It is the first time in Australian
journalism history that an ex-prisoner/journalist has
achieved that recognition.
I have served a total of 17 years for armed robbery and
escapes. I was wrongfully imprisoned on two occasions in
1983 and 1991 for crimes I had not committed. My
transition from jail to journalism is the theme of this
website and encompasses that history. I Hope it is a
rewarding experience for you.
Bernie Matthews-2005
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