A message from Andie Steele-Smith

This site has been written to respond publicly to the vicious, premeditated, baseless and defamatory smear campaign that has recently been launched against me and various companies of which I am or was a director and/or shareholder.

I empathically refute the slurs, attacks and libelous comments regarding my character, professional competency and experience and find it extraordinary the lengths that some people will go to when malice, greed and revenge are involved.

Unfortunately, a couple of former staff members and contractors whom have rightly had their contracts terminated by me; or by senior management appointed by me, have banded together to attempt to attack my reputation, my credibility, my family and my various business interests.

As a simple point of fact – and as the perpetrators of this ugly and cowardly campaign know only too well – I have nothing to hide from and have broken no laws. I repeat publicly that which I have stated to them privately, if you honestly believe that you have any legitimate claim to bring against me in a court of law, please bring it openly. For I will happily and readily stand against any claim that you make – as I have done before.

The only material claim in this slanderous campaign is the ASC administrative banning order precluding me from acting as a financial planner in Australia. Whilst I openly acknowledge that the ASC ban was erroneously put in place in 1994 there are a number of material points to clarify. Each of these points is independently verifiable:

• ASC’s (ASIC) internal review proceedings preceding the ban were held in my absence. A formal charge was subsequently brought to the Federal Court in Australia at the behest of the ASC. In these proceedings the prosecution’s key witness broke down while testifying and admitted to having not told the truth in her original statements (which formed the entire basis of the ASIC banning order). The case was concluded unequivocally in my favour in 1997 and I was found to be innocent of any wrongdoing.
• At the time that I was found not guilty, the presiding Magistrate found me to be a “witness of truth”.
• Conversely, the learned Magistrate formed the opinion that the Prosecution’s principal and indeed only material witness was “lying” and displayed “fatuous behaviour”.
• My legal counsel is currently in the process of seeking to have the ASIC ban overturned. Counsel’s opinion is that this should be successfully achieved.

It does not surprise me that those who are involved in this act, are not prepared to put “their name to it” and instead, hide under the guise of various online names or aliases. But the people involved know whom they are – as do my entire staff and I.

I strongly believe and I am sure that you will agree that their lack of conviction in ascribing their name to these slurs reflects tellingly on their integrity, intent and character.

So I say to the instigators of this attack; as you well know, your only possible complaint against me is that you have had your contracts terminated by me or by my representatives. My staff and I have every confidence that these terminations have been effected appropriately, for just cause and with adherence to all appropriate laws. If you genuinely believe that you have an employment or contract law dispute with the respective companies from which you have been terminated, please bring such complaint openly and honestly and it will be addressed under the law. Otherwise, please move on with your lives with good grace.

Sincerely

Andie Steele-Smith