Hajnal Black: Movie Of The Week

Hajnal Black. If you're not in the South East corner of Queensland, you might not know of Ms Hajnal Black. Let me fill you in on some of the salient details. Hajnal, pronounced Highnal, is an attractive naturalised Australian of Hungarian/Israeli origin who's lived a life that's so much more than many of us can imagine.

Hajnal is a very clever lady. She has a double degree in Law and International Business, is a Barrister, has written a book or two under an assumed name, served as a local councillor, married another member of Council, contested the 2007 and 2010 Federal Elections for the LNP, is associated with Australian Tea Party, had her legs lengthened in Russia, is a convicted criminal, and as of tonight, looking quite unemployed.

All this and she's only 34.

Hang on, she had her legs lengthened? In Russia? Didn't that set off some alarm bells? 

Apparently not. In 2002, instead of kicking off her career as a legal high-flyer, she travelled to Russia and had her legs lengthened in an experimental process that must have been crazy-painful.  The entire process took about a year, during which time, Hajnal wrote a book "God Made Me Small; Surgery Made Me Tall." If you're wondering, she gained 8cm in each leg. Now she could really kick her legal career into overdrive.

Er...no. After returning - with her longer legs - to Australia, she did the media rounds, talking about her leg lengthening, but under the name Sarah Vornamen. Hajnal's book was published, again under the name of Sarah Vornamen. Surely her family and friends knew that Sarah was Hajnal, but it stayed a secret until 2009.

Hearing those alarm bells yet? They're about to get louder. 

Last year, a strange story emerged, featuring Ms Black and a former legal eagle who was now suffering from senile dementia. Ms Black was assisting in selling the gentleman's property. The trouble started when it became known that proceeds from the sale - over $1.3million - were transferred to Ms Black's bank account instead of being held in a trust account. She was found guilty of failing to act properly on behalf of the dementia patient, whom she described as a friend. 

Added to that, she failed to disclose to council that she was in possession of the additional funds. By now, it was clear that Ms Black's dual careers in law and politics were not progressing as she had planned.

We've moved out of eccentric and into criminal behaviour now. 

So last month, Ms Black must've decided it was time to show the Courts who was boss. The Courts disagreed with her assessment that she was boss, and the next thing, we have tears, tantrums, media stakeouts and bizarre car chases. Oh, and she stormed out of Court. Two warrants were  issued for her arrest.

Protip: Don't antagonise judges. Be polite, courteous, punctual. They like that better than long legs.

Next came the runaway. Ms Black went into hiding. Even her husband didn't know where she was. After a week, she resurfaced, claiming tearfully that the whole ordeal was destroying her marriage. Um...yeah.

Finally fronting Court, she was found guilty on four of the five charges, fined $5000 and had a conviction recorded. She is first person in public office in Queensland prosecuted under register of interest legislation. 

The latest chapter occurred tonight, when it was confirmed that Ms Black will not be a candidate in next week's elections for Logan City Council. Unfortunately for confused voters, Ms Black's name will appear on the ballot, but no, she's not standing.

In fact, reports are that she was literally not standing, but leaning on a crutch. I am concerned about her artificially un-shortened legs.

That's a lot of living for just 34 years: an intelligent, attractive woman had it all in front of her, hers to lose. She's well on her way to losing it all.

I wonder who should play her in the telemovie? Asher Keddie perhaps? Lisa McCune? Melissa George...?

Update April 19 2:30pm

The Brisbane Times reports that this morning, Hajnal Black lost yet another legal bid to retain her rights to one of two multi-million dollar properties.