Media Release.
The
Premier’s admission today that unprecedented new powers allowing the
Attorney-General to decide which prisoners remain behind bars do not
meet legal expectations is proof the LNP government
has botched its rushed new laws.
Opposition
Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk said the Premier’s view that former
long-time Supreme Court Justice Richard Chesterman was “legally correct”
in describing amendments to the Dangerous
Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act as “an unjustified attack” showed the
LNP had again gotten it wrong by refusing to listen.
Ms
Palaszczuk said the government understood this even at the time of
introducing the new laws including in the legislation a get-out clause
in the extremely likely event the matter ended up
being challenged in the High Court.
“This
is one of the most highly respected and former long-serving members of
the judiciary and the Premier and the Attorney-General would do well to
listen to his learned views,” Ms Palaszczuk
said.
“But this government does not care about taking expert advice because it clearly believes it knows better."
“The
truth of the matter is they should have listened to the views of
experts like this and other lawyers before they rushed to introduce
these new powers."
.
“But
any government that flies by the seat of its pants as this government
does is doomed to make appalling mistakes because it does not consult,
it refuses to listen to the views of people
who understand what they are talking about."
“The
Premier today is basically admitting they have gotten it wrong just
four days after these new laws were rushed through the Parliament."
“His
own admission is that he was “reluctant” to introduce these new powers
and the Premier should have heeded his own reservations before acting in
this rash manner."
“The
Attorney-General and the Premier – if they were so determined to make
these changes – should have opted to go slow, to consult and listen and
commit to getting it right.”
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