Prawns in safe hands
THE Hutchinson family are in limbo.
The body of their beloved Julie, who was killed in 2015, has not been laid to rest.
While her killer, Michael Hutchinson, was found guilty of manslaughter on Wednesday following a gruelling eight- day trial, the pain has not begun to ebb for Julie’s family because she is still missing.
Hutchinson claims he dumped Julie’s body somewhere on Herveys Range but cannot remember where.
Now the LNP has pledged that, should it win government, Hutchinson will not be given leave to apply for parole and will stay behind bars for his entire jail term if he does not disclose Julie’s location.
The proposal comes after former solicitorgeneral Walter Sofronoff QC recommended the new laws last month. The laws would mean any killer who refuses to reveal the location of their victim’s body would not be allowed parole.
LNP Police and Corrective Services spokesman Tim Mander yesterday confirmed if the Opposition won government, they would introduce retrospective legislation to ensure Hutchinson would not get parole unless he revealed where he disposed of Julie’s body.
The laws would apply to someone convicted of murder or manslaughter.
This is welcome news for the victims of crime and our community.
It’s been a long and emotional two years for the Hutchinson family, who have been unable to properly say goodbye to Julie.
Her killer lied, cheated and denied the family the chance to grieve.
To be unable to properly lay Julie to rest adds insult to injury for a family that deserves more. They deserve to know where Julie, who was their loving mother, sister and daughter, is waiting to be found.
It is hoped that if the legislation was introduced, it would help jog the memory of killers who have forgotten or refused to reveal the location of their victims.
For Julie’s family, the laws could help bring some long- awaited closure to what has been a harrowing ordeal.
It’s what they and other families in Queensland who have not been able to say goodbye to a loved one deserve. I WANT to assure northern Queensland commercial fishers and prawn farmers that the Palaszczuk Government has acted decisively to protect their interests after white spot virus was detected in Moreton Bay.
On Friday last week I announced a movement control zone for uncooked crustaceans encompassing Moreton Bay.
This decision was taken on the advice of an expert panel, with the support of the Federal Government and its scientific advisers.
It means that with immediate effect no uncooked prawns can be moved out of the south east.
It is a big step to take and will have significant financial and commercial implications in the south east of the state.
Yet if white spot virus were to spread north from Moreton Bay it would have major consequences for the commercial fishing and aquaculture sectors in the North.
We have begun an extensive communication strategy to ensure all commercial and recreational fishers, bait suppliers, wholesalers, retailers and others understand their new obligations.
Penalties of up to $ 200,000 may apply to anyone found to be in breach of the movement control order.
My priority in taking action is to protect industry outside the movement control zone.
A comprehensive testing regime is under way along the entire east coast of Queensland.
The Federal Government is responsible for all border protection and importation matters and it imposed an import ban on green prawns in early January. BILL BYRNE, Fisheries Minister.