$49.95
THE TRUE STORY BEHIND COOPER v THE OWNERS
She refused to give up her dog. She ended up changing strata law for millions.
Toppling Towers of Power is Jo Cooper’s first-hand account of a six-year fight against strata bullying and unchecked power and the human cost behind a landmark legal victory.
- Go behind the headlines of the case that reshaped Australian strata law.
- Discover what it takes to challenge a powerful system and keep going.
- Read a true Australian story of courage, justice and lasting change.
327-page paperback · Secure checkout · Ships from Australia
Description
THE TRUE STORY BEHIND COOPER v THE OWNERS
She refused to give up her dog. She ended up changing strata law for millions.
In 2015, Jo Cooper’s apartment building banned her schnauzer, Angus. What followed was a six-year fight that reached the NSW Court of Appeal and became one of the most influential court cases in the country.
THE STORY
What happens when you refuse to look away?
In 2015, Jo Cooper and her husband Leo moved into The Horizon, a landmark Sydney apartment building. There was one problem: their schnauzer, Angus, breached a blanket no-pets by-law. What began as a simple request to update an outdated rule triggered years of exclusion, surveillance and retaliation from a strata committee determined to keep things exactly as they were.
Jo fought the case all the way to the NSW Court of Appeal and won. The judgment, Cooper v The Owners – Strata Plan No 58068 [2020] NSWCA 250, reshaped strata law across NSW and helped prompt legislative reform.
Toppling Towers of Power is Jo’s own account of that fight: the tactics used against her, the personal cost it exacted, and what she learned about power, silence and the people who chose to stand beside her.
“You, you stupid little brown girl, you’ll be gone in a week.”She didn’t leave. She took the fight to the Court of Appeal.
READ A SAMPLE
Chapter One: The Request That Cracked the Veneer
The Horizon rose against Sydney’s skyline like a sculpture of dreams. Standing in its travertine and granite lobby on that winter day in 2015, Jo watched sunlight dance across the polished floor, unaware she was about to challenge a power structure that had flourished unchecked for years.
The request seemed simple enough: “I would like to know the process of putting forward a motion to change a by-law, please.”
What Jo didn’t yet know was that at The Horizon, disagreements were never resolved by reason. They were resolved by whoever held the power, and she was about to find out exactly how far that power would go.
NAMED REFLECTIONS
From the legal team who fought the case
Reflections from the barristers and lawyers who represented Jo, printed in the book.
“Jo’s persistence and tenacity have changed the lives of many.”Sharon Levy
Partner, Bartier Perry
“It was my honour and privilege to be involved” in a case that let a beloved family dog live out his life at home.Robert Newlinds
Senior Counsel, Banco Chambers
Jo “had the courage to question authority, the discipline to endure its weight, and the clarity to write her truth without fear.”Emma Boyce
Special Counsel, Bartier Perry
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Before you order
Is this book only useful if I live in strata?
No. The story begins with a strata dispute, but it is ultimately about what happens when ordinary people push back against institutional bullying and unchecked power. It speaks to anyone who has felt powerless against a committee, board or bureaucracy.
Is this a legal guide or a memoir?
It is a first-hand memoir grounded in a landmark Australian court case. It explains the human story behind the judgment rather than offering personal legal advice.
Who is this book for?
It is for readers drawn to true stories of courage, justice and accountability; people living in strata or community schemes; advocates and reformers; pet lovers; and anyone who has had to find their voice inside a powerful system.
Read the story behind the case that changed the law.
$49.95 AUD · 327-page paperback · Ships from Australia
Additional information
| Weight | 0.4 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 23.4 × 15.6 × 3.0 cm |
