IN THE RECENT PAST I had reason to speak to Ray Mickelberg by telephone over a number of mutual interests, one of them Jim McGinty the Attorney General. In the general course of our conversation he informed me of an interesting series of events that began some time ago but have only just revealed their true significance. One strange twist was him being contacted by a fellow called Bob Drake who had once worked down at the Old Perth Mint when it was open to robbers and not tourists. Bob had retired and he wanted to help the Mickelberg brothers in their quest for just compensation for their trials and tribulations. Ironically, Bob was an employee at the Mint at the time of the Great Gold Swindle and had given evidence of a peripheral nature at the original Mickelberg trial in early 1983.
Ray told me, “Bob is now retired and he just wanted to kick in and help us battle on. However he was a bit irked when he received a copy of your first book, ‘The Fifth Estate’ which he read. He liked it so much he parcelled it up and sent it to the esteemed Attorney General, Mr Jim McGinty, for his information. He attached a note inviting the AG to read this ‘informative book’.