Secret State

Julian's book, Secret State, was researched and written over almost a decade. It details the strenuous and doubtfully legitimate program waged by WA's Corruption and Crime Commission against him and former WA Premier Brian Burke. The CCC campaign was largely based on covet surveillance, including phone taps, hidden recording devices and cameras, secret grossly unfair inquisitions - and public hearings that were used to create media stories and damage witnesses' credibility. The decade-long CCC operation occasioned a media storm across Australia, but was ultimately fruitless. However, the over hyped vendetta created extensive personal and reputational damage to Julian and Brian, and their families, friends and associates - including a host of blameless senior public servants who had routine or incidental contacts with the two CCC targets. Secret State sets the record straight. Julian's attention to accuracy and detail, and his entertaining literary style, make it a significant contribution to WA's legal and social history in the early decades of the 21st Century. After graduating from the University of Western Australia, Julian Grill practised as a barrister and solicitor in WA's Goldfields region, involved intensively in criminal defence and mining law. In 1977, representing the Australian Labor Party, he was elected to the WA Legislative Assembly. During his 24 years in Parliament he held many ministerial portfolios. After retiring from Parliament in 2001, Julian served as the chairman and non-executive director of several publicly listed companies. He also established Julian Grill Consulting, providing legal, strategic and government relations advice to an extensive list of corporate clients.