THE RIGHT TO ASSOCIATE, BE SILENT, BE HEARD...

POETRY, MUSIC & POLITICS - with passion.....follows.

Somerset branch of Queensland Labor associate along the Brisbane Valley, with their festive end of year meeting at the Esk QCWA Hall.

Members have many talents and always enjoy a fund-raising raffle to keep campaigning for the great Australian Labor Party.

Wrapping up 2013, the Somerset Labor branch meeting heard branch President Jim Madden(Lowood lawyer and Somerset Councillor) outline the legislation brought in with no consultation with stake-holders apart from the Queensland Police: These are termed the Queensland Government's "Bikie Laws". 

For most of the people present the 1980's ghost of the 'Moonlight State" which exposed the corrupt Police State led by the National Party under Premier Joh-Bjelke Petersen (4 Corners ABC TV) to the rest of Australia. The hall was quiet and a sense of disquiet.  

The lack of understanding and contempt for the principles of the Rule of Law created amazement when Premier Petersen appeared in Court and showed utter ignorance of the Westminster Parliament system of the separation of  powers. 

Today, the apathy is worse, the disrespect for Judges by the current Premier and his Attorney-General and the institutions they are supposed to conserve is baffling! How do you explain it to our children?

The Conservatives in Australia have a pathological jealousy for the Labor Movement because we Create, so they Destroy - stunted politcal growth. 
Labor invests in people, the Tories are the old Capitalists who are prepared to sacrifice people and the environment, because they're cushioned from the hazards they've created.

Jim questions the strategy of the LNP legislation as smoke and mirrors distraction.
What is the Qld State doing behind the distractions?

The increasing powers given to the Queensland Police, disrespect for Parliamentary conventions and committees(where there is no Upper house for checks and balance to a majority in the) is worrying.

Jim outlined the LNP contempt for the independence of the judiciary, presumption of innocence, right to silence, and the privilege against self-incrimination are not optional parts of our legal system, nor are they principles which should be ignored for the purpose of government policy, no matter how well intended.

Our Vice-President said she was going to protest in Brisbane on the day of the Labor Women's Conference because she had been a recreational bikie and spoken to others who had been stopped by Police because of these laws. 
links 2
Opposition-slams-qld-govt-absurd-rush-on-new-anti-bikie-laws/5104072
Bleijies-church-criticised-hardline-bikies-jail

Who are the Out-Laws?
LNP dismantles Westminster heritage, increases police powers.

I have more of a casual interest in the topic as I am researching and writing a historical novel set during the 17th century  when these principles of rule of law were being contested .

link to

Julie McNEILL - Love In an English Republic

THEY WHO SET THE PRECEDENTS.

I AM TRULY A POST-MODERN WOMAN - 

It's like I am in the Tardis - travelling between the 17th century blood and bone of civil war bodies our current Constitutional British Monarchy, hopefully to an Australian Republic.

"The basic privilege that no-one should be forced to behis own betrayer is extended to every citizen. It is the basis of the doctrine that the prosecution must prove its case. Section 128 reflects the common law position that is the foundation of our legal system. The Privilege operates to keep what may otherwise be relevant evidence out of court, is based on public interest grounds and on the doubt surrounding the obtaining of confessions by police for admission into evidence."http://www.afp.gov.au/ — in England, United Kingdom.

FOR ME - THE VOTERS WHO DARED TO VOTE OUT A LABOR GOVERNMENT AS PUNISHMENT FOR LEADERSHIP INSTABILITY - BELIEVING THEY COULDN'T DO REAL HARM - WERE DELUDED, and IGNORANT OF HISTORY.

THEY BELIEVED THEIR TORY LIES, AND DUPLICITY, AND THEIR RIGHT TO SILENCE ON WHAT THEIR POLICIES WERE - IF THEY HAD ANY.

NOW WE HAVE BEEN WITNESSING AND EXPERIENCING THE UNDOING OF THE SOCIAL FABRIC, PULLING AWAY THE GLUE WHICH STRENGTHENS INDIVIDUALS AND THUS COMMUNITIES.

It's like the Sheriff of Nottingham(Campbell Newman) and his twisted side-kick Gisborne(Jared Bjelke) have taken on pathology of megalomania. Typical Tories.

Because I'm a person who thinks outside the square I take the opportunity to follow Jim's Q&A with a poem I wrote one morning with my toast and listening to the radio telling me about the Newman's government anti-association legislation.

The Law Society warns if there was the will, any of us could have our rights to due process revoked, if suddenly the Government wanted to write the book clubs of Queensland onto the out-law list, or anybody else!

When we migrated from Melbourne to Brisbane we thought the far-right wings had fallen off! Suddenly I panicked - it'll be the non-conformist poets next, they'll round up West End Boundary poets who make the most of life rallying against injustices.

You think it couldn't happen? My poetry pal, Thom who escaped from the Police State under Joh - in the same class of demonstrators as former Premier Peter Beattie - but whilst he networked with members of the Labor movement, Thom left his law degree behind to a nurturing haven across the Queensland border. He found his voice at Nimbin and every alternative gig across the land.

Now and again he'd visit his mum in Chermside, but one time as he stepped off the bus from Melbourne, his rainbow coloured threads threatened the sensibilities of a local copper.

Thom was told to get back on the bus and go back to where he came from. We don't like your types coming here. 

But said Thom with a folder of printed street poetry sheets under his arm, (when he might have had a better reception if it was a brown paper bag)

..."I am from here, I was born in Brisbane! I've come to visit my mum!

                                     

YOU MARK MY WORDS!

The Poets will be herded on buses,

To live in exiled penury on the freezing 

Melbourne Fringe welcome mat -

As in the past this happened when Joh and

His Ilk managed things;

Demolished evolutionary 

Teaching, grew a Police Force,to be scared

Of especially for those troublesome blacks.

By censoring dissent and promoting prayer

Over the facts of Life Queensland teenagers

Went forth and multiplied and learned submission.

The Premier Patriarch said Don't you worry about that

Every night on T.V. and DDTed weedy words so the

Labouring lads in the sticks and the city compliant

Never heard corrupting influences and

Repeat them to their kids.

Like today the LNP say our prosperity 

Is tried and true black coal and yellow cake,

Clearing scrub without Reds and Greens tape.

Have faith in us, we're right and they're rat-bag 

Republicans who swear no oath of loyalty 
To baby boy George!

We are the Rightful Established, majority right
 And we'll crush your ideology because the artists 

Don't need tax dollars to dress in 

Leather jackets and silly hats! 

Don't you worry about that - The Nats will send

Packing the promoters of anti-authoritarian

Disorder, who would have our children learn words like

Autonomy, transparency, multi-culturalism, Fascism,

The Westminster something, Separation of Powers.

It is perfectly reasonable and highly desirable,

Extremely efficient if we build jails and manufacture

Pink Uniforms for the growth of the economy and run the 

Whole thing with from the office of our

Benevolent Attorney-General - of Queensland LNP, 
Jarrod Bleijie

(c)copyright Julie McNeill Nov 2013
all rights reserved

NEXT MEETING OF THE SOMERSET BRANCH OF THE QLD ALP IS SATURDAY FEB 22ND WITH GUEST SPEAKER. FOR DETAILS CONTACT Julie McNeill(Secretary): julie.mcneill1@bigpond.com