Public alarm driving WA policy, warns Chief Justice

"Many in our community consider that our community is being swamped by a wave of crime of tsunami-like proportions, to which the judiciary is responding insipidly with increasingly lenient sentences. Neither of these things is true."

For many of us in Western Australia, we get to hear what our judiciary are saying and how they are responding in the most appropriate way. Sadly they are now being rubbished by the executive arm of power and control, namely the Attorney General and the government if they should tell the truth. The facts speak for themselves.

The Chief Justice is well informed and has a higher level of understanding of the law, fairness and justice than a person who is a political figure with a law degree. Now it is a battle for control of the courts and the police. The State government is demanding more use of mandatory sentencing and less ability by the courts to display discretion and provide a penalty that is more likely to be effective. And that is the point. The government is keen to look tough but it needs the stupidity of the media to look as though it is effective. The facts once again tell another story.

There have been some very effective measures to reduce crime and these should be applauded. They do not however include move-on notices, mandatory sentencing and a police regime that forgets that it is often seen as the aggressor and the unjust judge on the streets. Within WA we have a lack of respect for the law that is due in part by the media's presentation of facts, together with the feelings and experiences of the ordinary person on the street.

The notion of being the suspect, the accused and for being 'forever guilty' is all too real for many people who have a skin colour that attracts the attention of police Few are satisfied with court outcomes, government rhetoric and politicking from the ranks of chair sniffers and young AG's who firmly believe that they have all of the answers for such a diverse state. Many of the answers can be found among victims and families of offenders, their surrounding communities of interest and those people who know what it is like to be addicted to various substances and behaviours, and who struggle with day to day living.

Regards

‘B’