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It is foolhardy for politicians who lack material expertise to make major changes to the criminal law without first obtaining and acting on advice from criminologists, penologists, prosecutors and other experts; for example, on whether - and if so why - existing laws are deficient and how any flaws can be remedied and whether draconian penalties might increase the possibility of pedophiles killing children whom they've molested or violent criminals or their associates killing witnesses.
Fitzgerald is right to criticise the inexperience of the Attorney General (as we have here) and to bag the Newman government for their lack of consultation. As Fitzgerald rightly states:
Crime cannot be eliminated by intuition, good intentions and public enthusiasm.
Which, as far as we have been told, is all the Newman government is relying on.
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"again effectively a one-party State controlled by a group who seemingly don't know, or don't care, that the use and abuse of a large parliamentary majority is not true democracy irrespective of what they claim "the people want".
Mr Fitzgerald's piece goes onto criticise both sides of politics, the entrenched duopoly of our democracy, and the resultant disengagement of the everyday voter. There is merit in the argument, and lessons for those who are really listening.
Among those listening, I believe is Townsville Labor demonstrated by our efforts to engage the community and run issues based campaigns. This in turn goes some way to explain the large increase in numbers the branch has experienced. And we recognise there is more to do
But regardless of how strongly you agree with Mr Fitzgerald's idea of a duopoly with entrenched partisan interests, it is difficult to argue with the wayhe finishes by saying:
For what it's worth, my impression is that most Queenslanders don't want to revisit the dark days of political caprice and corruption and "don't you worry about that".
To me, it seems much more likely that "the people want" to live, and have their children and grandchildren live, in an orderly but free, ethical, tolerant society which is governed in accordance with established democratic principles which have evolved over centuries.
It's hard to argue with that.
The Newman government isn't governing in that way. If Labor has any serious aspirations to being the next government for Queenslanders, we need to unambiguously demonstrate that we believe what Mr Fitzgerald says, and are willing to act in a way that demonstrates our commitment to those principles.