Sexual and physical abuse inquiries – into the armed forces, churches, and generally – are likely to dominate 2013, clouding the the crucial federal election expected in October. The inquiries allow long-ignored victims to be heard: the election process empowers silently suffering citizens to speak out about the type of parliament and political behaviour we want. It’s time for most Australians, clearly dissatisfied with their representatives, to raise their voices as never before.
Royal Commissions, inquiries and compensating victims are fine, but perpetrators of crimes must be brought to justice, CLA says, otherwise the behaviour behind the crime is tacitly endorsed, and nothing changes. We must all obey the law, including the government, which is set to break international law and be legally cruel in how it treats refugees. For all the talk of ‘justice’, new laws – and court cases – indicate that Australia is becoming less equitable, more polarised. The disconnect between the powerful and the people is widening.
Other items in this issue include:
- Triggs calls Nauru ‘egregious breach’ of international law
- Rayney appeal matches state of justice in WA
- Hawke picks over bones of FOI
- Minister for Media Releases loosely proves no man is an island
- Parliament legislates a testing time…for others
- Stun guns: deliberate police misuse widespread, cases prove
- Mandatory sentencing is stupid, whatever the Territory
- Ex-police chief celebrates end to ‘war’ on marijuana
- ‘Electronic fence’ prevents women slipping over border
- Organs to be donated, not harvested
- Prisoner swap? Here’s a proposal to the pointe
- Mobile phones result in court misconnections