More power to unelected judges Why we dont need a bill of rights

I was waiting for you to parrot the words of Piers today, Furdie.

Piers Akerman

Like that's not already happening, without a bill of rights.

Name-calling is a deperate (and typically right-wing) move.

And only scared right-wingers & buttorted government lackeys would be petrified at the thought of a government bound by the precepts of decency and compbuttion to stop them from doing what they bloody well please without any legal ramifications.

Utter bollocks. Evidently Piers does not read the Tele. Not a day goes by when public outrage over Labor's terrible mismanagement of NSW is not reported in the very paper for which he writes.

Yes, let's all heed a ficbreastious TV show as a dire warning of things that might come to pbutt.

Despite the fervent wishes of Piers, and JW Howard, we are not yet the United States.

A Bill of Rights is not (or at least, should not be) about overturning court decisions. Rather, it should be about keeping the government in check so we do not become a police state. To be honest, I do understand Mr Akerman's concern over this, but that is not what a bill of rights deals with.

Actually, it's something that a number of people have been pushing for decades. It's entirely likely that the Iemma government has latched onto it in order to draw more support, but it's not something they've come up with.

Yeah, I guess the government is being so fiscally responsible right now that a bill of rights will cause these essential services to slide into neglect.

Oh, hang on....

I find it hard to fault that comment.

Interesting. It's almost as if a court can be lenient towards scumbag criminals if a bill of rights is introduced. Except... that courts are ALREADY lenient towards scumbag criminals, WITHOUT the existence of a bill of rights.

Unless that protection excludes the right to not be arrested without cause, held incommunicado, be tried by a secret panel, be placed under constant surveillance, have no privacy, etc.

I think a non-existent code can be thwarted much more easily.

Is he calling the US a "dictatorial and authoritarian nation"?

What "direct connection between voters and lawmakers"? When is the public ever consulted when new legislation is drafted?

I agree with the rest of this comment. The problem is that our democracy is only skin deep. We elect our governmnet representatives, sure... using a shonky preferential system, and once in office they just run around and do whatever the hell they want regardless of public opinion.

Mr Akerman's true colours are at last plainly revealed.

The criminals in this case being a government that wants to oppress it's people.

I'm just waiting for a News Ltd. journo to be "vigorously questioned" by the police in connection with a possible person threat. Let's see how rapidly they all change their tune.