Tasmania has a close-knit elite, to the point of officialdom on the island being incestuous. Cronyism, corruption and conspiracy appear to be rife. The case of Maria Borkowski illustrates this all too well.

Maria Borkowski was a partially deaf, Polish immigrant whose English was poor and, after she lost her husband in 1984, was initially preyed on. Maria owned three properties and stash of gold coins. After Maria discovered she had been deceived into signing a will in their favour in 2003, attempts were made to have her diagnosed as demented, thus rendering her incapable of validly executing subsequent wills to correct the situation. She was systematically drugged until her health deteriorated and had to be admitted to hospital. While in hospital her house was ransacked and Maria was asked to sign a Power of Attorney in her favour. In hospital Maria makes a remarkable recovery and a doctor who prescribed the debilitating drugs, urges her to sign a deed of Enduring Guardianship if she wishes to go home.