Following on from the success of her first book, The Court Reporter, released in 2018, former Cobar resident and well-known ABC television and radio newsreader, Jamelle Wells has just released her second book, Outback Court Reporter.
After spending almost 20 years in city courtrooms reporting for the ABC on some of the country’s highest profile cases, in Outback Court Reporter, Jamelle takes her readers into our country courtrooms, from the grand sandstone edifices of Cobar and Grafton to the repurposed community halls and police stations in outback Queensland and the Northern Territory – introducing them to the court staff – the solicitors, prosecutors, magistrates, witnesses and the accused, in cases that shock, captivate and divide communities.
Outback Court Reporter is also a timely reminder of the need for reform as country magistrates struggle with massive caseloads and limited resources, the fall-out of a failing regional health system and limited bail and sentencing options in a justice system that is under pressure and communities still disadvantaged by the vastness of our continent.
Outback Court Reporter is a sometimes funny, sometimes tragic look at the comings and goings on inside the country courtrooms dotted across Australia.
From the case of the stolen cat flap, to missing lollipops and exploding chocolate milk in a country supermarket, to a custody dispute over a camel – Jamelle has seen the lighter and quirky side of outback courts but has also witnessed the harsh, dark, and petty side of outback life – including the high rates of Indigenous incarceration, alcohol-related and domestic violence.
Her first book, The Court Reporter was longlisted for the prestigious Ned Kelly Australian Crime Writing Award and the Davitt Australian Women Writers Award.
