State government is failing all of us on crime epidemic
I REFER to the articles pages 6 and 7 (TB, 09.09.21) and I have to say words fail me how on earth could a government allow this kind of behaviour to happen and continue to a somewhat law abiding society.
We have three Palaszczuk representatives in town and the best they can say is Mr L Walker – we need to support the police. The behaviour is extremely dangerous and the offenders should be locked up, now they are comforting words and I’m sure the whole community can now sleep safe in their beds.
Don’t forget we are paying good money to this individual to say these things.
Mr A Harper – one of the other three representatives – advises us the people (some of us) who supposedly elected him that the behaviour is absolutely deplorable and that he has been a strong supporter of the state government’s recent changes to the youth justice legislation.
He goes on to say this is the path they choose and with that comes consequences, what consequences? Do we have some form of a deterrent now?
Well Mr Harper that has been the problem from day one you supported the legislation that Anna told you to support and now we find ourselves in the mess we have now, you just wouldn’t listen or read the written word every day in the local paper advising you of the error of your ways.
And finally we have Mr S. Stewart who made the damming comment that the offenders were disgusting and concerning and that he expects then to be caught and pulled before the courts.
Are they the same courts that are virtually powerless because of the introduced legislation that you voted for in the parliament Mr Stewart? The revolving door legislation.
The comment from the Police Minister Mr M. Ryan in the article is also comforting when he advises that the government had tough penalties for people who assault police or emergency service workers including up to 14 years in jail.
In the Townsville situation with juveniles it’s only one packet of M and Ms instead of two a day.
He goes on to say that is why the government is making record investments to make sure that the police have the personnel and resources they need.
Maybe some meaningful legislation would help the police with some form of a deterrent attached to it. Captain Feather Sword of the Wiggles is just not cutting the mustard.
The individuals concerned would appear to have none or very little discipline, that being the case discipline has to be instilled in them now before it’s too late otherwise they will continue through life committing crime and then when it’s too late they end up in the big house where there are no fluffy ducks or
bedtime stories. This I would suggest is some form of social experiment where the word deterrent is not in the vocabulary and as a result look what we have now on our streets anarchy, thank you the Palaszczuk led government you’re doing a wonderful job just look at the police stats and the number of police being injured.
DAVID THOUMINE, Cranbrook.
MILESTONE FOR ISLANDERS
AS your local MP for Thuringowa, I share this historic and nationleading milestone in legally recognising Torres Strait Islander traditional child rearing practice, in Queensland.
This is important for Townsville and the North Queensland region. Townsville has the largest population of Torres Strait Islander people who are an important part of our proud community.
We passed legislation in the Queensland parliament that allows Queenslanders (people with births registered in Queensland) raised through Torres Strait Islander cultural practice, can now apply to connect their legal identity, including birth certificate, with their lived identity.
After more than 30 years of advocacy led by the Kupai Omasker Working Party from the islands of the Torres Strait to the chambers of Queensland parliament, Torres Strait Islander people can now apply to bridge the gap between their cultural and legal identity.
This is a living act of reconciliation and will enable more Torres Strait Islander people to experience and access the same basic rights to identity as every other Queenslander.
Legal recognition of Torres Strait Islander traditional child rearing practice is among the strongest acts of reconciliation in our state’s history as we reframe the relationship with First Nations people and progress a Path to Treaty in Queensland.
This achievement recognises the strength, diversity and culture of Torres Strait Islander families, including in the Townsville region.
This nation-leading milestone to connect cultural and legal identity through a new birth certificate will enable more Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders to access opportunities to thrive.
I encourage Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders and families in the Townsville region, using this traditional custom, to consider applying for a cultural recognition order to gain important identification documents for better access to support, services and opportunities.
AARON HARPER, Member for Thuringowa.
VAD OFFERS US CHOICE
As a compassionate supporter of the pending parliamentary debate on the important human rights issue of dignified Voluntary Physician Assisted Dying (VAD) it motivates me to contribute the following.
In this contemporary era of enlightenment and as a secular advanced pluralistic informed society in a functioning democracy, the majority will of the people should form the basis of good democratic government.
In giving a voice to reality and currency to facts all current community surveys on the subject of VAD reveals approximately 80 per cent upwards in support of long overdue compassionate social reform.
In the best interest of facilitating a better, more caring and merciful tomorrow, rather than be blind to the misery of others, politicians instead should be demonstrating the courage in taking the lead in support of this fundamental human rights issue.
With our population ageing and with no option but to grow old and fall victim to encroaching physical and mental decline as a prerequisite to irreversible illness and existential suffering then people are demanding better quality of their own death.
This important issue of autonomous freedom of personal choice via legislated VAD, should be beyond political debate and be an inalienable civil right for all citizens and not for others to make that decision for them.
As human sympathy is far more preferable than insensitive religious ideology then on any objective analysis, to force the terminally ill to endure to the very end against their will, is unsympathetic discrimination against their freedom and right to choose, which is not heaven sent but man made.
RON BENNETT, Aitkenvale.