Pubdate: Sun, 29 May 2005 Source: Sunday Times (Australia) Copyright: 2005 Times Newspapers Ltd Contact: http://www.sundaytimes.news.com.au/letters/letters.html Website: http://www.sundaytimes.news.com.au/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/438 Author: John Flint WA SILKS ASKED TO HELP PERTH silks Tom Percy and Mark Trowell have been contacted by Schapelle Corby's family to aid her appeal. Mr Percy QC was approached by Corby's cousin Melissa Younger after Friday's verdict. The Sunday Times can exclusively reveal that after her sentencing, Australian consular officials visited Corby in her cell and urged her to take up the offer of assistance from the respected lawyers, who were asked to help by Attorney-General Philip Ruddock. "We have still had no contact from any lawyer representing Schapelle Corby, but I have been contacted by her family," Mr Percy said yesterday in Bali. The Perth lawyers yesterday dispelled another myth in the Corby case, saying Australian taxpayers met most of Ms Corby's defence costs, not Gold Coast businessman Ron Bakir. Mr Percy said he was leaving Bali late today but hoped to see the family before he left. He said the Corby case would present a real challenge. "I didn't put my hand up for this. I was asked (by the Government) and so was Mark (Trowell)," he said. He said he has had no contact from the Queensland law firm representing Ms Corby - Hoolihan's Lawyers in Surfers Paradise - which snubbed their offers to help months ago. Mr Trowell QC was nominated by Mr Ruddock and Justice Minister Chris Ellison because of his excellent contacts within the Indonesian legal system, including the country's former attorney-general. "I was an observer for the Australian Bar Association at the appeal of (former Malaysian deputy prime minister) Anwar Ibrahim in Malaysia. That's how I know the former attorney-general in Indonesia," Mr Trowell said yesterday. "Just before Easter there was a conference of an organisation called Law Asia. Chris Ellison, who is an ex-Perth criminal lawyer, suggested to Mr Ruddock that he approach me to ask if we could offer assistance to Schapelle Corby's legal team. Both of them were concerned about her welfare, but were limited in what they could do. "I suggested to Ruddock that the best way to approach this was for his staff to contact Hoolihan's to ask if they would welcome a call offering assistance." Mr Trowell said Mr Ruddock's chief-of-staff rang Hoolihan's, which accepted the offer, but failed to answer his calls or reply to messages he left. "Robin Tampoe (of Hoolihan's) said on radio (Saturday) that no contact had been made, but that is inconsistent with what he told a newspaper," Mr Trowell said. "Another thing I have found curious about Tampoe's comments on radio, is there was some suggestion that they had had no assistance (from the Government). But the Indonesian lawyers representing Schapelle Corby have been funded by the Australian Attorney-General's Department. It runs into tens of thousands of dollars. "I was contacted by (Foreign Minister) Alexander Downer's chief-of-staff this week. He said: `You were quite happy to assist in March, is the offer still open?' "Tom and I said we would be happy to help." - --- MAP posted-by: Josh