Australian Penthouse

Is Penthouse magazine popular in American prisons?
Funnily enough, Australian Penthouse was the first magazine Dad sent me! Full nudity is banned in the majority of prisons I was sent to, but in the first jail the rules were a bit more lenient and it was a big hit. I remember a couple of lads wanted to have a look and it came back with a few sticky pages! One issue of Australian Penthouse in prison is worth $100-$200, easy.

Did it take you long to settle back into life in Australia when you were deported from America in 2009?
It did take a bit of time. It was a strange period for me, those first six months after I was released. The people closest to me didn’t really know how to treat me. They didn’t know how much I’d changed and whether I was still a full-on, hardened criminal. I did all I could to show them I was still human and the same affectionate Anthony I’ve always been. Now I have wonderful friendships with a lot of people and I feel they see the real me again.

What are you doing now?
I’m a sales manager for a clothing company based in Byron Bay [northern New South Wales]. I coordinate reps in each state and also manage a couple of guys who work in the warehouse. It’s a great role in a growing company and I’m really enjoying it.

How do people react when you tell them who you are?I
Mates will always sting me about it, which is okay because mates are mates and you’ve got to expect that. I’ve definitely copped a fair bit from them! When I tell people who I am, the majority of responses are quite positive. I’m very grateful to live in such an amazing country, where people can appreciate the humorous
side to it.

Was it difficult to relive the experience while writing Bank Robbery for Beginners?
I got so much support while writing the book and I think I rehabilitated myself in a lot of different ways. Me and the people closest to me were able to put the whole thing to rest and move on. But it was quite difficult for some people, especially my parents, to read it and to know everything I endured.

What does Luke, your former partner in crime, think of the book?
He’s happy for me. We’re two very different people and he’s home safe and sound doing his own thing. We don’t talk a whole lot about the past. We catch up for a surf every now and then but just keep it light and easy. I can imagine it might be difficult for him to relive the ordeal, so I don’t expect him to read it.

What was the most important lesson that you learned in jail?
I learned not to be so selfish and to consider consequences and appreciate the feelings of others. Obviously that’s something I didn’t do. I was completely selfish in deciding to go ahead with robbing the bank. There were extreme repercussions on the bank tellers, on my beautiful family, on my girlfriend at the time, on my friends and all the people around me. There were very, very serious consequences, and I never considered them because I never thought I’d get caught. In my naïve mind, I thought I’d be in and out and off to Mexico.

In your opinion, what’s the biggest problem with the US prison system?
That’s an interesting question. I suppose one of the main things that stands out for me is the lack of rehabilitation. Personally, I was seeking to support myself through study and journal writing, but I’d have to fight to get the prisons to allow my text books and calculators and other study materials. They weren’t helping. If there was more education and it was mandatory for all prisoners to study and evolve, I think it would stop recidivism and help them when they got out. Everybody in there is just bored shitless and they get caught up in the politics of prison, such as racial segregation and that kind of bullshit.

What’s the best thing about being free?
Women! I have a beautiful girlfriend and being able to interact with females in any way makes me feel more human. The other benefit is nature; being in the bush or the ocean is what I used to long for more than anything.