When power and
conscience collide

In 1907, James Kirkwood—an obscure Tasmanian gardener—stood in the Zeehan Police Court accused of defaming King O’Malley, one of Australia’s most colourful and influential politicians. The case pitted the reputation of a national figure against the sworn word of an ordinary citizen.

Kirkwood refused to withdraw. He repeated his allegation under oath, endured searching cross-examination and walked free when the prosecution failed. Yet the magistrate declined to say on which side the truth lay.

Inspired by a true story, Do Your Damnedest follows James from Scotland to colonial Tasmania and the mining town of Zeehan. Richly researched and grounded in historical fact, it is a story of integrity, conscience and the courage to speak when silence would be easier.