Crispin Hull

The decision last week of the ACT Legislative Assembly to make it a criminal offence to put flyers under car windscreens on pain of a $1000 fine was an excessive one. It struck the wrong balance between freedom of speech and advertising and the minor inconvenience of some motorists who object to this sort of material.

Of course, from a commercial point of view, this newspaper should welcome the ban. It knocks out an avenue of competition, making advertising in this newspaper, or in the suburban newspaper in its stable, more attractive, or even necessary for some businesses. But that is not the point. The point of principle is more important. Legislatures should we wary about infringing the rights of people to disseminate information. Car flyers are not only used by small businesses. They are also used by people advertising community events and services. They are also used by people spreading political messages. Democracy depends on the free flow of information and ideas. Moreover, a healthy, competitive economy depends on the ability of businesses to advertise their wares.

In the United States, this law would be struck down as unconstitutional. Indeed, the who exercise by the Assembly, coupled with its dabbling in the idea of extending its own terms and seeking to increase the number of its members, gives further ammunition to the argument that the ACT should have a Bill of Rights that enshrines the basic constitutional structure that cannot be altered without a referendum and enshrines basic rights, including freedom of speech.
Continue reading “1998_11_november_leader02nov flyers ban”

Our legal system and its judges and lawyers at once treat jurors as morons and geniuses.

Lay people must have been extremely puzzled this week as to why the murder trial of two young women students had to be aborted. Indeed, the episode adds strength to the view that we should scrap the jury system.

The two were being tried together. In the fourth week of the trial some evidence arose which caused the judge to abort the trial.
Continue reading “1998_11_november_juries”

The Labor Party announced last week that it is seeking to expunge the ghost of its East Timor policy through two parliamentary inquiries. And it does not mind if that means a certain amount of mea culpa and a certain amount of questioning the conduct of some of the party’s more revered (and less revered) figures, such as Gough Whitlam and Gareth Evans.

In doing so, however, a parliamentary inquiry is likely to unearth some interesting material about the role of the Coalition and some of its more revered figures, such as Malcolm Fraser. Provided, of course, that the right questions are asked of the right people.

Remember, the East Timor invasion took place on December 7, 1975, less than a month after the dismissal of the Whitlam Government and just five days after the election of the Fraser Government. At the time, and in the immediate period before the invasion, the Australian Government was in a state of turmoil and policy vacuum. Events in the Indonesian archipelago were among the last thing on the mind of both sides of politics. Moreover, from November 11 until December 2, the Government was Fraser’s caretaker one.
Continue reading “1998_11_november_indon timor”

The NSW Government has begun a whinge campaign about federalism.

It is wasting its taxpayers’ money with an advertising campaign attacking small states and territories for spending what it calls NSW money.

In yesterday’s Canberra Times its very clever advertisement said, “”If you never never go, you’ll never never know where $540m of NSW taxes get snapped up every year.” Under a picture of a crocodile it explained, “”The shores of Lake Burley Griffin had a more formidable predator than the salt-water crocodile. It’s called the Commonwealth State Grant system and it costs the NSW taxpayer and arm and a leg. Last year, for example, the combined demands of the Northern Territory, South Australia, Queensland and Tasmania put the bite on NSW for a staggering $1.5 billion.”
Continue reading “1998_11_november_federalism nsw ads”

Air New Zealand flies direct to Queenstown from Sydney and return on Saturdays all year round. (On other days via Christchurch.) Introductory offer $499 for bookings before November 21 travelling before December 5. Aircraft type: 737-300. Flight time 2hr 50min.

Population 16,000. Accommodation plentiful, especially in summer. Full range from backpackers to five-star.

Eating: More than 100 eating places, up to fine dinning.
Continue reading “1998_11_november_fact file qtown”

People taking defamation actions will now have to do so within a year of publication, instead of six years, under legislation passed by the ACT Legislative Assembly.

The legislation was proposed by Independent MLA, Paul Osborne, and passed on Thursday.

Other states retain their six-year limitation.

Mr Osborne said, “”Among effects I hope this change will have is to stop at least some people from using our courts for lengthy and expensive interstate actions. It will also prevent people who suffer no discernible harm to their reputation from launching opportunistic legal actions based on Australia-wide electronic searches of newspaper databases.
Continue reading “1998_11_november_defo change”

Captions for Hull on Queenstown. (Numbers in pencil at the back of pics. Negs attached.)

1. Lake Wakatipu with Mount Aspiring National Park in the background.

2. View from Hotel window in Queenstown featuring Lake Wakatipu.
Continue reading “1998_11_november_captions for queenstown”

The 1998 election, probably the last of the century, is also likely to be the last with a national tally room.

Computing power and the internet are getting much more powerful than people putting little cards on boards.

All the television stations ignored the huge tally board in the tally room at the Exhibition Park in Canberra (what used to be called the National Showground). It was just an expensive set.

EPIC people thought, however, that the public attendance this time was its strongest for many elections. The public queued out the door and were let in as others left. As many as 300 people were in the queue.
Continue reading “1998_10_october_tallyroom gone”

Both major parties are very likely to lose seats in the Senate.

This is because they are defending the results of the highly polarised 1993 election in which minor parties did disastrously.

Thirty-six of 72 state senators are up for election and will take their seats for a six-year term on July 1. Each territory will elect two senators who take their seats immediately for a term expiring when the term of the new House of Representatives expires.

Overall only four minor party and independent senators are up for re-election. On some of the polling figures, this half-Senate election yields between six and eight, so between two and four major party candidates will lose their seats.
Continue reading “1998_10_october_senate summary”

The fate of the GST now lies with the Democrats who have done exceptionally well in the Senate.

The Democrats will have 10 senators after July 1 next year when the new senators take their seats.

They could allow a food-free version through now or after July 1, provided the Government accepted the compromise. After July 1 the Democrats will have the absolute balance of power in the Senate. They can side with either Labor or with the Coalition for form a majority to pass or block legislation (including the GST) or set up or veto committee inquiries.
Continue reading “1998_10_october_senate new count”