MPs apologise to judges

THREE federal politicians have escaped prosecution for contempt of court after issuing a grovelling apology for branding Victorian judges Left-wing activists who are soft on terrorism.

Chief Justice Marilyn War- ren said politicians Greg Hunt, Michael Sukkar and Alan Tudge committed a “prima facie contempt of court” but declined to prosecute them after they delivered a humiliating apology — albeit one that she said should have been made earlier.

Liberal politicians and Turnbull Government ministers Mr Hunt, Mr Tudge and Mr Sukkar made comments accusing Victorian judges of being ideologically driven “hard-Left activists” and soft on terror as the Court of Appeal was considering re-sentencing two convicted terrorists.

Chief Justice Warren, Justice Stephen Kaye and Justice Mark Weinberg took the extraordinary step of dragging lawyers for the ministers and The Australian newspaper before them to explain the comments published earlier this month.

Last week the politicians re- tracted their statement but refused to apologise.

But yesterday morning, Solicitor General Stephen Donoghue delivered a prepared statement on behalf of the three ministers, apologising for their comments and admitting they were made without reading the transcript of the appeal case. The apology and decision not to prosecute means the trio has avoided a messy political quagmire and possible jail time.

The Australian newspaper aggravated the contempt by publishing the comments but would not be prosecuted, Justice Warren said.