Sun-Stroked Perception of Justice
or Sheer Insanity?
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The National Liberal Party won unprecedented majority in the last election in the State of Queensland. A majority that can justifiably ignore, let alone take any heed of the Labor opposition and its contribution to debate matters of concern to the residents of the State of Queensland and to Australia as a whole. The Premier Campbell Newman is first time Premier and politician for that matter having been inducted months before the election. Likewise numerous member of the Newman government are first time politicians that are at best novices compared with seasoned politicians. The novice aspect, the size of the majority, and lack of opposition pose unprecedented danger to the required and expected standard of parliamentary debate and speeches for passage or defeat of legislations. This is more so when the legislations impacts on lives of every individual in Queensland. The added danger to this mix of first time Premier, and lack of experience is the tendency of the Labor opposition to side with the Newman government. Sadly this siding with Newman Government cannot be more ill conceived and pronounced then the latest maverick, ignorant, ill thought, unconscionable, and illegal legislations purportedly specifically geared to control Bikie gangs. Legislations that not only demeaned the integrity of the office of the highest legal officer in the State of Queensland, that of the Attorney General, Jarrod Bleijie, but makes mockery of that office in the eyes of the legal profession in Queensland, the judiciary, and the civilized world.
Attorney General Jarrod Bleijie, did not grimace when he pronounced the proposed legislations entitled: Vicious Lawless Associations Disestablishment Bill, The Tattoo Parlours Bill, Criminal (Gang Disruption) Amendment Bill. Each of these three Bills banishes and removes all judicial and legal discretion by imposing lengthy mandatory sentences that makes judicial officer rubber stamps. Sentences, that are further enhanced and given weight by the imposition of additional (non concurrent) sentence by refusal to answer questions or divulge information to law enforcement officers. The President of Australian Council of Civil Liberties, Terry O’Gorman was not wrong when he said these laws highlights the inexperience of the holders of the highest governmental offices in the State of Queensland and makes these laws a laughing stock. Despite the size of its minority by not standing up and screaming loudly against these misconceived draconian laws, in my opinion the Queensland Labor opposition became part and parcel of that laughing stock.
Australia is a signatory to number of international treaties that guarantees human dignity, human rights including minimum standard for treatment of prisoners. These obligations are clearly foreign to Premier Campbell Newman or is Queensland succeeding from Australia? Does Premier Campbell Newman seriously think he can build Bikie only prison and incarcerate Bikies in cell for 23 hours a day dressed in pink? If he does I seriously feel sorry for the residents in the State of Queensland.
Before concluding this blog I would like to remind all Ministers in the State of Queensland that in a speech to the House of Lords, 9 January 1770 William Pitt, Earl of Chatham (1708 – 1778) and Prime Minister 1766-8 said: ‘unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it. Likewise the famous British historian, Lord Acton (1834-1902) said: ‘power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely’.
Finally I consider it to be the duty of the legal profession of Queensland either the Bar Association or the Law Society or combined to forthwith commence legal challenge in the High Court of Australia to strike out the three Bills. If any doubt exists about the illegality of the three Bills section 29 of the Australian Constitution giving Parliament power to legislate for the purpose of ensuring Australia complies with its foreign obligation in international treaties and covenants is a good start.
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