Mr STIRLING - 2000-02-24
Australia’s leading constitutional expert Professor Blackshield told Australians on AM this morning: ‘Well, if the whole justice system is paralysed, if it is impossible now to conduct criminal trials at all under the situation that Burke has created, then the justice system is indeed in a state of crisis and it would be appropriate to use the word ‘corrupt’ but not in relation to the courts’. The reporter asked, ‘Who’s corrupt then?’. Professor Blackshield answered, ‘Obviously the Chief Minister, who is supposed, among other things, to be an Attorney-General which traditionally carries the responsibility of protecting the courts against unfair and unjust criticism’.
I ask the Attorney-General, how does he stand here in this Assembly having breached his primary duty as Attorney-General and having been labelled as corrupt as the first law officer of the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I find it interesting for those who talk about the sanctity of the justice system, who are quite prepared to pillory and accuse and condemn a person who, in fairness, if it was as serious as you suggest, would be entitled to at least their day in court. We do have a basic presumption that all people are innocent until they are proven guilty. That is a straight fact.
The second thing is that with regards to the comments of some learned person down south, I heard last night on the 7.30 Report an alternate opinion given by another learned person down south. I am sure they all have their competing opinions on these sorts of matters. That’s for them to have their debate. The reality is that in the Northern Territory the justice system is working, as it always does, evidenced by what’s happening in the court at this moment.
I ask the Attorney-General, how does he stand here in this Assembly having breached his primary duty as Attorney-General and having been labelled as corrupt as the first law officer of the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I find it interesting for those who talk about the sanctity of the justice system, who are quite prepared to pillory and accuse and condemn a person who, in fairness, if it was as serious as you suggest, would be entitled to at least their day in court. We do have a basic presumption that all people are innocent until they are proven guilty. That is a straight fact.
The second thing is that with regards to the comments of some learned person down south, I heard last night on the 7.30 Report an alternate opinion given by another learned person down south. I am sure they all have their competing opinions on these sorts of matters. That’s for them to have their debate. The reality is that in the Northern Territory the justice system is working, as it always does, evidenced by what’s happening in the court at this moment.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016