By Tim Wilson
First posted January 8, 2014 as Statement about Queensland’s Vicious Lawless Association Disestablishment Act 2013
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| Cartoonist David Hope |
I do not assume the position as Australian Human Rights Commissioner until later this month, or early next month. However, I have previously made statements on the laws. My statements are available here and here. I stand by those statements.
Should you wish to attribute a title to these statements, or those below, I recommend “Australia’s next Human Rights Commissioner, Tim Wilson”. Additional comments can be found here:
“These laws are a classic demonstration of what happens when human rights are diluted from sacrosanct consistent principles for preserving the dignity of the individual to otherwise worthy, inconsistent societal aspirations”.
“These laws are a demonstration of the worst consequences of what happens when people are treated as groups under the law, and not as individuals”.
“The traditional human right of free association is directly under attack from these laws which simply seek to criminalise Australians associating with other Australians.
“Bikies have just as much right to freely associate as all other Australians. If individuals or gangs are engaged in criminal behaviour the government should pursue their criminal conduct to the full extent of the law”.
“The imprisonment of people for free association that are not otherwise engaged in criminal activity is deeply, deeply disturbing. The fact that other States have and continue to look at replicating these laws is equally disturbing”.
“Let me make this clear – if bikies are engaged in criminal conduct they should be pursued by Police, but they should not be charged for simply associating”.
“These laws have been defended by the Queensland governments because some bikies are criminals. The laws operate on the assumption that bikies are criminals. No doubt some bikies are criminals, but that does not justify making free association illegal”.
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| Tim Wilson at 2012 PRA conference |
“I have deep concerns about the consistent application of these laws and how some individuals appear to be treated once charged, including punishment of criminals because of public comments by their family members”.
“The Queensland anti-bikie laws are inconsistent with an individual’s right to freely associate and should be repealed”.
I had the problem solved ages ago...all they had to do was approach the Sergeant of Arms of the local criminal bikie gang and give him the keys to the local high school locker room. The drug dealers could simply then go in at night and check in the lockers for orders/payment and deposit the appropriate contraband in the kids locker. No nasty criminals approaching the kids and we can all pretend that it was the tooth fairy that pushed the drugs on to the youngsters and that the bike gangs are really nice benevolent sober peace loving citizens, who would be shocked at the thought that they deal in human misery.
ReplyDeleteOf course there may well be some health issues arise from this solution, as it becomes increasingly difficult to extract one's head from one's own posterior.
ReplyDeleteHeres an alternate idea for the Australia Day anti-association law protests. Wear a Yellow Star with your potential 'political crime' written in the centre, just as hitler ordered. e.g. 'Politically incorrect Speaking' 'Global warming Denier' 'Farmer' 'Biker' 'Public Preaching' 'Vaccine refusal' 'independent voter' 'Pizza delivery guy' . Have fun with it!