Darren D.J Hunt
Katters Australian Party Candidate for Cairns
LAW AND ORDER REFORM RELEASE
Here is the Media release we put out on law and roder changes required.
The Australian Party law and order spokesperson and candidate for Cairns, Darren Hunt, claims the Australian Party law and order policy announcements will provide Queenslanders the protection they deserve and end the soft on crime approach that has seen crime flourish.
“The major parties are both soft on crime and during this campaign we have seen they just don’t have the courage to bring about real law and order change. A half-baked, cliché boot camp with no thought or details as to how it will work and a few extra school based police across Queensland will not fix the law and order woes of Cairns and Queensland.”
“Police on the streets is what will fix our crime issues. We will do that by immediately commencing a review of the flawed police staffing model. We will ensure the recruitment of police will meet our growth needs as well as the staff attrition we currently face and we will build the Wacol police academy that has been planned and budgeted for. Most importantly we will provide the technology and equipment to improve police capabilities to keep them on the streets, not behind a desk. Police need to be doing the job they’re trained for, not data collection for other government agencies.”
“What we need, is legislative reform to fix the gaping holes in our system. The Australian Party has announced we will end the revolving door court system for offenders on Bail who commit further offences. The Australian Party will also change the way in which court ordered parole and parole in general is issued and administered.”
“The Australian Party is also the only party prepared to stand up for our emergency service workers by legislating mandatory imprisonment for assaults on emergency service workers such as police, ambulance officers, nurses, prison staff etc. People protecting Queenslanders are not punching bags for drunks and people having a bad day and our penalties will reflect that and provide a deterrent.”
“Rehabilitation is a vital component of any justice system and we will ensure that the review of programs for Queensland Corrective Services is completed and funding is directed to programs that actually work. Those that don’t will be axed and replaced by something that does. A prisoner deterrent and incentive scheme will be introduced to ensure gaols are not seen as holiday resorts and there are real incentives for prisoners who want to undertake rehabilitation, but there are also consequences for prisoners who do the wrong thing.”
Australian Party state leader Aiden McLindon said “The people of Queensland are sick to death of the community being dictated to by criminals. That is why the Australian Party is prepared to stand up and make the changes we need, to take back our streets and provide an environment where people no longer have to live in fear, where there is a real deterrent to crime and effective rehabilitation.”
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS NEED PROTECTION
Here is the media release we put on Domestic Violence issues.
The Australian Party candidate for Cairns, Darren Hunt, says the penalties for domestic violence breaches require change to protect vulnerable Queenslanders.
Mr Hunt said “The recent murder trial in Cairns has highlighted what we have all known for far too long. The penalties and ways in which breaches of domestic violence are dealt with in Queensland are inadequate.”
“On four separate occasions, that we know about, this poor women was subjected to domestic violence breaches. The governments soft on crime social experiment has seen the penalties associated with domestic violence be continually whittled down and weakened. I remember when this Act first came in. If someone breached their DV order, they knew they were going to prison and Magistrates and Judges backed that up. Now we see chance, after chance, after chance given to this type of offender and sometimes with fatal results.”
“Under previous legislation an order taken out by police could not be revoked by the aggrieved spouse. This prevented numerous victims being placed in danger as they could not be forced to revoke the order under threat of further violence. Now we have perpetrators putting pressure on victims to revoke orders with threats of violence or other pressure direct or indirect.”
“We need laws that protect these vulnerable members of our community. We need laws that reflect community expectations. We need to bring in penalties that reflect the seriousness of these crimes and these need to be cumulative to any other penalty imposed for associated charges. Only The Australian Party has the courage to bring in the changes required to protect the most vulnerable members of our community and treat Domestic Violence seriously.”
NO ELECTRICITY ASSET SALES
Here is the media release we put out yesterday in Cairns. As usual the local paper don’t think you care about this and won’t report it. Here is the release in full.
The Australian Party Candidate for Cairns, Darren Hunt, says the recent revelations show Queensland electricity assets are getting ready to be sold off which will put bills beyond the reach of many Queenslanders.
Mr Hunt said “The Australian Party policy on asset sales, are clear. We will not sell our electricity assets. What we have seen today is that Ergon energy has been working to section off this outfit, just like we saw with Queensland Rail.”
“Queenslanders should be very worried that we will travel down the same path as QR. With an LNP government, whose core policies are all about privatisation, they will sell off our assets to pay their wild, pork barrelling election promises they have engaged in for this election.”
“If we see sections sold off, we will be left with the non-revenue positive components just like we were with QR. Once that happens they will want to sell off the whole thing, just like with QR. Make no mistake about this, this will cost jobs. Just like it did and continues to do with QR. The Electrical Trades Union are right to be very worried by this news as they know Campbell Newman cannot be trusted not to sell these electricity assets and Anna Bligh has shown with the sale of QR that she can’t either.”
“Cairns and FNQ residents are struggling with electricity bills. The Energy User Association of Australia states our prices are amongst some of the highest there are and we pay 130% more than Canada and 70% more than the US. Now that we have the mining tax added, which will soon be followed by the carbon tax, electricity prices are going to go through the roof. If we allow our electricity assets to be sold off pensioners won’t be able to turn on a light switch without burning up their pension.”
“If the people of Cairns and FNQ want to be able to turn on a light switch and look after their jobs, then this Saturday only The Australian Party can be trusted not to sell our electricity assets. The Australian Party is the only party committed to processes to reduce electricity prices for Queenslanders which are going to be vital with the increases coming our way from sneaky new taxes.”
AUSTRALIA PARTY CALLS FOR INDIGENOUS INTERPRETORS
Here is a copy of the media release in full that The Australian Party put out in Cairns. Apparently the Cairns Post didn’t think it was worthy of reporting.
Here it is for you to decide-
The Australian Party Candidates have called for interpreters to be made available for first Australians in the Queensland legal system.
Candidate for Cairns Mr Darren Hunt said “It is time we had in place the capability to provide interpreters for indigenous Queenslanders in our legal system. It is obscene that we have arrangements for other nationalities to have access to interpreters, but not indigenous Queenslanders. Unlike the other parties we support calls from the Queensland Law Society and Association of Independent Legal Services for this to be introduced as a matter of urgency.”
“Any costs involved in this program would be more than off set by the savings produced as a result of trials being avoided as legal representatives are able to obtain instructions at the first opportunity. The costs involved in flying witnesses from remote communities, accommodation, meals and expenses can be very high and if savings can be made in these areas by having a Cape and Torres Strait interpreter network it will pay for itself.”
“Most importantly, victims and witnesses will have access to this service as well and be able to provide the details and evidence of what occurred. These people can be overawed by the court process and are unable to provide details or respond to questions. Having an interpreter would greatly assist these people and give their communities a greater sense that they are being served by our legal system.”
Candidate for Cook Lachlan Bensted said “With indigenous people before the courts in Cape York and Torres Strait, or having to go to court in Cairns, we should have a process in place that allows them access to interpreters. Funding is available for interpreters, why don’t we have them?”
“Under our proposal a collection of interpreters would be identified across the various communities. It could be run in conjunction with the Local Community Justice Groups and local Justices of the Peace programs in remote communities. We would involve those groups in consultation to ensure local protocols are observed to address any social or cultural issues that could be encountered by some individuals performing that role for specific offenders or victims. We would involve local people because we know there is no one size fits all approach and what works in Brisbane may not work up here.”
ONLY THE AUSTRALIAN PARTY COMMITS TO BRUCE HWY FUNDING
The Australian Party candidate for Cairns, Darren Hunt, says the release of the Reconstructing Queensland policy document highlights the party focus on areas like FNQ.
Mr Hunt said “The people of Far North Queensland finally have a political party that has proven its focus will not be on Brisbane and South East Queensland. The Bruce Highway is vital to Cairns and FNQ. As a result of the Bligh government selling off our rail system we have seen a decrease in the amount of freight being moved by rail which has meant more trucks on the Bruce Highway.
“Year after year we get cut off. The Bruce Highway has continued to deteriorate to unacceptable levels, placing lives in danger. The other political parties continue to try and pork barrel the southern electorates instead of addressing what has become a national disgrace. Only The Australian Party is prepared to stand up and say, no more.”
“The ALP can only commit to some pie in the sky, half chance, maybe, 20 years down the track. Not good enough. Last night LNP candidate Robyn Quick let the cat out of the bag at the Cairns Chamber of Commerce forum that the LNP promised upgrades for the Bruce Highway will only go ahead if they get Federal funding over ten years. What happens to Cairns and the Bruce Highway if the Federal government doesn’t commit to their demands? Cairns and FNQ would be forgotten about again. They are as hopeless as each other.”
“Only the Australian Party has the courage to put the needs of the State of Queensland above pork barrelling southern electorates to win elections. The Australian Party has committed to stop the new proposed rail system for Brisbane and divert that money to where it is needed most.”
“The Bruce Highway needs to be repaired and upgraded. It is now clear that a vote for ALP or LNP is a vote for Brisbane. Only a vote for The Australian Party is a vote for Cairns and the needs of Far North Queensland. The Australian Party will deliver the much needed upgrades to the Bruce Highway.”
PREFERENCES
Today we announced as we have said over and over and over again.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PREFERENCE DEAL WITH LABOR
This was a scare campaign orchestrated by the LNP to try and steal votes away from us. It was a complete LIE. It is a complete LIE.
Katter’s Australia Party is committed to seeing the ALP government kicked out. That’s why we recommend that people put us first, put who they hate last and fill in the middle as they please. That way your vote isn’t wasted. The LNP position of just vote 1 means they are only committed to getting in, they don’t care about getting ALP out. There is a big difference.
The LNP will now have to actually debate us on policy instead of relying on this scare campaign.
CORE VALUES AND PRINCIPLES
Core Values and Principles
- Every Member of the Party, including Members of Parliament, will, in making decisions, vote in the interests of their electorate, consistent with their conscience and in accordance with the following values and principles.
- Modern Australia was founded on Christian values and a responsibility to one’s fellow man. This heritage belongs to all Australians and defines the culture of the nation. The ideals for Australian society and government should be based upon these principles.
- Governments are accountable to the Australian people for the management of outcomes that protect and enhance both the social and economic fabric of the Australian people and the sovereignty and independence of the Australian nation.
- Governments should develop and promote policies which maintain and advance a modern mixed economic system that will ensure economic growth, full employment, equitable distribution of income, rising living standards, prosperity, opportunity and equality of access to such opportunity for all Australians, to ensure:
- freedom of speech and expression which should not be abused by intimidation, malice, violence or wilful intolerance;
- equality of opportunity;
- equality before the law;
- social cohesion;
- acceptance of personal responsibility and accountability;
- support for those in genuine need while that need exists
- encouragement and nurturing of individual initiative, and the development of every person’s, and especially children’s, talents and skills to the maximum;
- responsibility to contribute; and
- respect for all talents, skills and occupations, regardless of the level of formal education required to acquire them.
- Australia’s sovereignty and independence as a nation requires Australia to:
- have a sufficient Defence Force to deter invasion and to prevent any territorial intrusion or threat;
- maintain strategic defence industry capabilities to ensure Australia is self-sufficient in the manufacture of strategic Defence requirements;
- establish and nurture relationships and alliances to secure support and assistance in times of peril;
- exercise appropriate stewardship and development of our resources;
- have a strong economy which is as self-sufficient as is practicable;
- be self-sufficient in the production of food and to ensure security of food supply;
- ensure that Australia’s food is produced in a disease-free environment and that the importing of diseases which threaten our food supply does not occur;
- ensure security of strategic resources, including minerals;
- have a sufficient population and for that population to be so distributed as to demonstrate occupation, control and utilisation of our land, water and other resources; and
- put Australia’s interests first in respect to ownership of agricultural land, corporations, utilities, resources, and the means of production and ensure that foreign ownership or control of resources and agricultural production only occurs when it is in the national interest and does not undermine or threaten Australia’s independence and sovereignty.
- Governments must ensure that every Australian is, and in particular employees, farmers and franchisees are, able to bargain collectively to protect and promote their economic interests and that all, wherever practicable, have access to compulsory arbitration.
- In principle non-government monopoly power should not be allowed and limits should be placed where possible on the proportion of the market any entity controls.
- Governments must ensure that a concentration of market power does not occur, whether such concentration is monopolistic, oligopolistic or just unfairly out of balance.
- Governments should provide essential services such as airports, water, electricity, gas, health services, road networks, public transport and communications. Where such services are not provided by government, government should ensure that the services are affordable for all and of a reasonable standard.
- Australians must have the freedom to pursue outdoor recreational activities of their choice including hunting, shooting, fishing, boating, camping, 4-wheel driving, horse riding, rock climbing, and bushwalking without unnecessary limitations and restrictions.
- Vacant land such as State Forest and some unallocated lands and seas now designated as “off-limits” are to be owned and accessible by the people. They are not the exclusive domain of the “Crown”.
- Resources should be developed and utilised whilst at the same time fulfilling our obligation to future generations that such utilisation does not needlessly or irresponsibly result in the degradation of those resources.
- Homes are to be safe and exclusive havens for all those who reside within them.
- Home ownership is critical to people’s sense of freedom, independence and personal security and to facilitating the raising and nurturing of children. All Australians, including our First Australians, must have the ability to own their homes and governments must implement policies to make home ownership attainable for all Australians.
- Government interference in people’s lives must finish at the family fence or property boundary. Legislation overriding all other laws must provide that intrusion and interference upon that household can only occur where human health and life is in serious and immediate jeopardy.
- Property owners may do what is reasonably required to ensure the security of their family, their property and themselves as well as to ensure its quiet and safe enjoyment.
- Where governments diminish the value of a person’s property, the government must compensate that person by paying just compensation.
- Because it is in the economic and social interests of the community, laws in their enactment and application must support and uphold marriage. Marriage is the union of a man and a woman, ideally for life. It is in the best interests of children that they are nurtured by their father and their mother and laws concerning children should be based on the best interests of children.
- It is the duty of government to:
- ensure that bank lending provides real wealth creation in terms of improvements to the quality of life of the average Australian;
- prevent the flow of credit creation into speculation and predatory activity; and
- ensure that the wealth creators and risk takers are not subject to a one sided and unrestrained banking foreclosure policy.
- Governments must ensure that all Australians have access to necessary finance at affordable prices and that financial institutions do not abuse their financial powers. If necessary, governments should intervene in markets to ensure that these principles are achieved and that government is involved in the process of the provision of finance and credit to provide inter alia a bench-marking.
- Australia needs to increase its population to achieve acceptable levels of economic, scientific, strategic and personal development. Government must develop immigration and birth rate policies consistent with these principles. In addition, the population growth needs to be distributed widely throughout Australia and especially into northern Australia.
KEEP OUR STATE ASSETS
Keep our State Assets
- The Australian Party will stop the Labor Party and the Liberals selling off Queensland’s State owned power stations.
- We will stop the sale of the Abbott point Coal terminal
- We will stop any further sales of our strategic State owned assets and we will implement strategies to see a reversal of past asset sales where practicable.
Our state owned assets should be kept as state owned assets!
Australians have worked hard over the years to build and develop these assets and today, should be reaping their rewards and benefits. Our roads, ports and railways, water and electricity, the Snowy River Scheme are all infrastructure we should be immensely proud of.
The situation though, is that both of today’s bigger political parties seem determined to place these assets in the hands of multi-national corporations, selling them off in order to fund superficial projects aimed, not at bettering our country, but at protecting their own jobs at the next election. Time and time again, this has proven to deliver nothing but higher prices, and the loss of jobs.
This is something you will notice every time you pay for your electricity.
Since 2004, your average household bill has risen over $500 and is now flagged to rise again. One can only imagine the rise we will suffer if more of our electricity is sold to money-hungry corporations.
It’s just not right that corporations (many foreign owned) end up getting the benefit of what has taken hard working Australians generations to build and pay off, particularly when the generations that follow are left to pay the price, every day.
“Governments should provide essential services such as airports, water, electricity, gas, health services, road networks, public transport and communications. Where such services are not provided by government, government should ensure that the services are affordable for all and of a reasonable standard”.
Core Values and Principles, #9
RURAL FIRE SERVICE POLICY
ENSURING THE SAFETY OF OUR RURAL FIRE SERVICE VOLUNTEERS
- Funding for all first aid and safety equipment and training for a range of emergency and disaster events
PROPER FUNDING FOR OUR RURAL FIRE SERVICE APPLIANCES
- Government funding for fuel, insurance and other running costs
- Exemption from registration
PROPER FUNDING FOR OUR RURAL FIRE SERVICE STATIONS
- Construction, maintenance and rates for Rural Fire Service Stations to be funded by government
FORMALISE RURAL FIRE SERVICE MANAGEMENT AND REPORTING STRUCTURE
- Creation of a Rural Fire Service division within Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, with its own budget
- Appointment of a dedicated Rural Fire Service Deputy Commissioner with a volunteer Rural Fire Service background
Katter’s Australian Party recognises and supports the vital role the volunteers of the Rural Fire Service play in preventing and fighting fires throughout Queensland, as well as attending a to a range of emergency incidents including motor vehicle accidents and assisting in the rescue and recovery operations for natural disasters including floods and cyclones.
In addition to undertaking these life and community saving tasks, the volunteers are also responsible for raising funds for their own first aid and other safety training and kits, running costs for their fire appliances and the construction and maintenance of their Rural Fire Stations.
Katter’s Australian Party will support the volunteers of the Rural Fire Service by:
1. Providing government funding for all first aid training and equipment, safety equipment training and rescue training, including training for responses to a range of emergency and disaster events.
2. Providing government funding for fuel, insurance and running costs of all fire appliances and exempting them from registration.
3. Providing government funding for the construction and maintenance, rates and other outgoings of Rural Fire Stations.
4. Creating a separate Rural Fire Service division within Queensland Fire and Rescue Service with its own Deputy Commissioner, uniform, budget and the formalization of the existing Rural Operations reporting / management structure. The Deputy Commissioner should come from a Queensland RFS Volunteer background.
5. Maintaining existing shared fire communication radio service (FireComm) with Queensland Fire and Rescue Service.
6. Return dedicated support agencies to Queensland Fire and Rescue Service.
This would see Queensland’s Rural Fire Service put on similar footing to those around the country and would provide a suitable framework for effectively managing the unique challenges of a dedicated, large volunteer group working in a high risk environment.
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LAW AND ORDER REFORM
here is the summary of our law and order changes and processes we will undertake-
REAL LAW AND ORDER
We will achieve this by-
Reasoning-
Helicopters
QPS currently has no helicopters. QPS has to rely on Emergency Management Qld to ferry them around and this is not the EMQ core business so police are restricted to when EMQ are available.
The current Minister has focused on fixed wing aircraft which are for transport and not operational duties.
The current pursuit policy restricts police ability to catch criminals without air support.
QPS has been given a much greater role in Disaster Management as a result of legislated change.
The units could be placed Cairns/Rockhampton/SEQ to provide a strategic coverage of our vast state.
Cairns due to distance from Brisbane, vast nature of area and the fact they have a S.E.R.T unit based in Cairns.
Rockhampton to be central and cover the areas such as Mackay, Rockhampton, Emerald,Gladstone often subject to natural disasters.
SEQ to cover the large population of Brisbane and Gold Coast and surrounds.
Mandatory sentences for assault on staff
There is currently an offence under S340 of The Criminal Code termed ‘Serious Assault’ with one provision for assaulting police. There is an offence under the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act for assault police.
There has been an increase in assaults on police as a result of Labor’s soft on crime legal system.
Mandatory sentences provide a clear deterrent.
Mandatory sentences will provide a feeling of protection for staff that are working to help Queenslanders.
The provision for serious assault should be extended to include all emergency service personnel.
Minor/technical assaults can be dealt with under the other legislation such as PPRA by Magistrates Judges on the circumstance involved.
BAIL AND PAROLE CHANGES
BAIL-An enormous amount of police resources are tied up dealing with offenders who are on bail that should never have been issued it.
Offenders continually breaching bail should not be entitled to bail eg 3 in 5 years.
Offenders who are on bail for indictable offences and get charged with a further indictable offence, committed after the issue of the original bail, are not entitled to bail on the fresh offence and automatically have the other bail revoked. An offender charged with a further offence that precedes the original bail will still be at discretion of Magistrate/Judge
Juvenile bail breach-There is currently no offence for a juvenile who breaches their bail due to a loophole created in the Juvenile Justice Act. This needs to change and juvenile offenders subject to above Bail Act breach provisions.
Juvenile bail guardians-Any adult, guardian etc nominated by the offender/defence team for whom a juvenile is to be released to as part of any bail conditions, must be present in the court room at the time of sentencing and be available to be questioned by the Magistrate/Judge as to their ability to control the child in line with the Bail conditions. Any previous occasions when the nominated person was supervising the offender on bail and that offender committed further offences should be taken into account.
Relatives are often nominated without their knowledge or permission during sentencing and are reluctant to speak out or say no even though they know they will not be able to control the child.
PAROLE-Court ordered parole(COP) is the biggest rort and impediment to rehabilitation of offenders in our state. Regardless of behavior, willingness to rehabilitate etc a person on COP gets out on a set date. Even child sex offenders do not have to complete counseling if issued COP unless specifically included unlike offenders not issued COP.
BREACH PAROLE-Many offenders get COP despite having numerous breaches of parole/community orders. A breach of a parole order should disqualify eligibility for COP and offenders forced to go through board ordered parole process to aid rehabilitation.
Offences committed whilst on COP should be cumulative to penalties issued for fresh offences, not concurrent where there is no penalty for the breach.
PROTECTION OF SENIORS
Elderly community members have a greater fear of crime than the wider population and often feel vulnerable. Their fear of crime does not necessarily reflect in crime figures but that does not make it any less terrifying for them.
Offenders see the elderly as soft targets unable to fight back. We need to provide a deterrent to change that thinking.
An ‘averment’ can be included to legislation which allows for a greater penalty to be imposed on the offender. The averment would say something like “And it is averred that at the time of the offence the victim was over the age of 65years” and therefore they would be subject to a greater penalty.
A provision of Section 340 of the Criminal Code under serious assaults includes the provisions for assaulting someone who is over the age of 65 and also someone who is disabled or infirmed so the precedent already exists.
The requirements for paying back restitution to senior victims such as fraud and stealing should be modified so offenders have to repay money immediately, take out a loan or surrender property in lieu of amounts owed.
POLICE STAFFING MODEL
This has not been reviewed for sometime and the model used to allocate staff and resources is flawed. This review benefits all of Queensland by addressing areas deficient in staff and resources. It also shows we are fiscally responsible trying to get the best value for money.
POLICE ACADEMY
The current academy is a disgrace. Money was previously assigned in numerous budgets to build the new Wacol Police Academy. The announcement by the current ALP government to postpone this to try and con the people of Queensland they could bring the budget back to surplus was despicable. The money previously assigned in recurring budgets will be used to build this facility to provide a facility to meet our needs.
SEX OFFENDERS
These offenders present the greatest amount of community resentment and require the highest level of monitoring due to the risk of re-offending.
The impact on victims is long term and often devastating as opposed to someone who has their window smashed for example.
Constant monitoring of offenders such as occurs in other states like NSW provide much greater protection and prevention opportunities.
Sex offenders often complete their parole/probation orders without completing the required sex offender courses due to a lack of staff and programs available, particularly in rural and regional areas.
There is currently no Queensland program for female sex offenders as the current QCS programs are all male focused.
TECHNOLOGY
Police need to be provided up to date technology that will allow them to do their job more effectively and spend more time out on the road instead of in the office at a desk. Our police still do not even have effective communication across the state. On board computers with a silent dispatch system will improve capabilities and reduce response times.
POLICE PURSUITS
The current policy and lack of support for police to perform their job has given dangerous criminals an easy way to avoid arrest. The penalties for evade police are inadequate and need to have a real deterrent value. Any penalty for evade police in conjunction with another crime should be cumulative. The blame for any injury caused during an evade police offence should focus on the person committing the crime and the penalty should reflect that. Effective Standard Operating Procedures for police with support from modern technology or rotary air support will reduce risk and supervisors will still have the ability to terminate pursuits if risk is too high in line with SOP’s developed.
REHABILITATION
A prisoner deterrent and incentive scheme will provide a consequence for the actions of prisoners who do the wrong thing and an incentive for those who are committed to rehabilitation and becoming a productive member of society. The current discipline system in our prisons is inadequate. Taxpayers will no longer foot the bill for the criminal actions of prisoners damaging or destroying items provided to prisoners, such as televisions.
We will complete the review of all Queensland Corrective Service courses and programs to ensure money is not wasted on programs that do not work and resources can be allocated to those that do.