Speaking up for our system of justice

20/01/2014

Only rarely do politicians speak out in support of the judiciary, but during a speech about the visit by Aung San Suu Kyi to Sydney, Mark Speakman SC MP, the member for Cronulla, delivered a forceful defence of judges. Describing an independent judiciary and the rule of law as "the great gift we have in our legal system", he reminded community leaders on the need to be respectful when criticising judges. He warned against calls for fixed minimum sentences. "There is no evidence that mandatory sentencing reduces the incidence of crimes. In fact, it reduces the incentive to plead guilty and leads to arbitrary and capricious results", he said. Read the full speech here.

20 January 2014