Comments by Queensland Premier Campbell Newman about the way in which the courts should implement laws relating to outlaw motorcycle gangs have been challenged by Justice George Fryberg in the Queensland Supreme Court during a bail hearing for an alleged member of a outlaw motorcycle gang.
This post provides a wrap-up on some of the perspectives on the standoff between Premier Newman and Justice Fryberg, as well as some comments about Queensland’s new laws:
The Courier Mail provides quotes of exchanges between the DPP’s counsel Todd Fuller QC, Justice Fryberg and counsel for the respondent, Peter Callaghan SC, during the Bail hearing, as does this article from the ABC for those outside the paywall.
President of the Bar Association of Queensland, Mr Roger Travers QC, made a statement suggesting “that each of the legislature, judiciary and executive show due respect one for the other”.
A guest post on RoLIA’s post by Dr Binoy Kampmark discusses the temptations of demagoguery and independence of the judiciary, and Queensland academic, Kate Galloway, has written an informative piece on the pitfalls of the relevant laws in Queensland on OpenForum.com.au. A blog entitled What’s the State of Queensland has also been gathering information and articles from around the web on a variety of topics related to the laws.
Chairman of the Queensland Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC), Dr Ken Levy, has come out in defence of the powers granted to the CMC and other measures taken by the Queensland Government.
Following comments by Premier Newman comparing himself to head of the 1980s Fitzgerald Inquiry into police corruption in Queensland, the Hon Tony Fitzgerald AC QC, who had previously dismissed granting new powers to the CMC as “foolhardy” without first consulting legal experts, responded to Premier Newman saying the Government’s attacks on the judiciary were a ‘short-sighted lunge for “redneck support”.’
RoLIA has also recently commented on the rule of law concerns about the Queensland Government’s legislative armada to target outlaw motorcycle clubs.
Links provided are for the purpose of study and discussion and do not represent the views of RoLIA unless otherwise stated.
~Nick
Nick Clark is RoLIA’s Education Coordinator. Join the discussion about rule of law issues with Nick on Twitter @NClarq.
