Laurie
Whilst I agree with your sentiments I believe that if Labor forms Government
there is far more chance of mandatory sentencing at least being alleviated.
And at the same time, we would have the opportunity to improve the Native
Title legislation to more reflect an atmosphere of cooperation and
negotiation as opposed to the present adversarial provisions. And, if you
want to see a more conducive police force in the area of Aboriginal Affairs
then I would back Labor anytime rather than Court et al. There are many more
areas of Aboriginal Affairs that could be reformed. It may only be a
possibility with Labor but with the Coalition it is a certainty - NO!!
Laurie, as a constituent of Western Australia, I have seen what is happening
at the moment and mandatory sentencing is a different animal in the West to
that in the N.T. It is not mandatory sentencing that is underlying the over
the top number of deaths in custody, it is the jails administration
(Ministry of Justice) and overcrowding. If we wish to save the lives of
these young prisoners then the only chance is with Labor. Mandatory
sentencing can be wound back, given the right administration as can all the
other perversions that have arisen as a result of the Court Government
actions. Anyway, my legal friends tell me that it is a very different kettle
of fish trying to overturn State legislation, even with the assistance of
the external powers. In reality we could lose the next State election and
then find that the Federal government can't do anything about it anyway. The
N.T. is a different proposition because as we saw with the Euthanasia Bill,
the Federal Government still maintains a power of veto over their
legislation. In the case of W.A. I think you would find the Feds. fighting
all the States because it would provide a frightening precedent if the
Commonwealth won. Think of Howard or Costello with the knowledge of that
sort of power!
Sorry to be seen as pouring cold water but unfortunately we only have a
voting choice of Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee.
________________________________________________
Ian Henderson Murdoch University
24 Harfleur Place Murdoch 6150
Hamilton Hill Tel: 61 8 94183972
Western Australia 6163 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Perfection suffers from a profound defect; it is invariably dull. Somerset
Maughan
______________________________________________
> Maybe this is a case where ,even if it means losing the next election
,Labor
> should oppose mandatory sentencing for no other reason than it is unjust.
>
> Once people wake to the cons like mandatory sentencing that have been
> perpetrated against them by Howard, Court and their fellow lowlifes, they
> will be looking for an alternative---Unfortunately, the way things are
> going, they won't find one in the Labor Party----they will be down in the
> political gutter with the Coalition.
>
> As far as the ALP is concerned,I think that unprincipled pragmatism has
had
> a fair run---time for a dose of untrammelled principle.
>
> Laurie
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