As a united loving family together as sisters we decided with much thought and deliberation to contest our mothers will after her death.
Many reasons contributed to this decision but ultimately years of financial inequality and the finality of a will that was grossly unfair.
Although most people believe a will is only about money and initially it is, but just as importantly it is about principle.
As loving daughters with a good relationship with both parents our only error was to be born female into a farming family.
The emotional strain that this process caused us is immeasurable, and it is for this reason that we have chosen not to appear on Insight and revisit what is all too distressing.
Only we know as a family our history and it is neither appropriate or would it be professional to discuss this in a public forum.
We remain committed to our personal integrity.
We neither regret our decision nor rejoice in it, but we have been given closure. We certainly received no legacy after our father died and it was left to our mother, that our parents estate whilst it would never be fair, should have been reasonable.
We accept the decision by the Supreme Court in its ruling. The fact remains that our mother's estate of a farm worth 2.45 million was awarded to her only son who already had received substantial assets.
The judge in the presiding case "told the court that he was satisfied that given the sons substantial independent assets position he would be able to satisfy a future mortgage on the assets without having to subdivide or sell farm property." (Shalders Vs Torney, 2009)
Nevertheless the daughters overall received only a small interest which amounted to 10 per cent in total between them. We will always and do remain to this day united as five sisters and most importantly our love for each other as a family remains firm and everlasting.
Clare Shalders, Jenny Torney and Sally Hicks
