Enjoying free speech at Queensland Law Society's annual dinner ... There can never be too many lawyers in parliament ... Parramatta ahoy
Fr Brennan: getting stuck into the bikie laws What a glittering night it was to welcome the incoming Queensland Law Society president, Ian Brown, at Sofitel's Ballroom Le Grand.
Father Frank Brennan SJ AO was the guest speaker and the top table was groaning with notables: Commonwealth AG Soapy (Bookshelves) Brandis, Qld AG Jarrod Bjelke-Bleijie, and Qld CJ Daphnis (Two Wigs) de Jersey.
Father Frank gave a thunderous speech about the erosion of human rights in Can-Do Campbell Newman's Queensland.
He harked back to the dark days of Sir Joh when protestors were caught-up in the strong arm of the law.
At that time local barristers found it difficult to take briefs because of a directive within crown law that those appearing for protesters were not to receive government work.
A policy that has echoed down the years, with Brennan reminding those attending the feast that Stephen Keim is the latest lawyer to pay this price for speaking out against Bleijie's bikie laws.
He went on:
"There is a place for conscience and courage in the law, especially when the prevailing political orthodoxy of those who exercise legislative or executive power is contrary to one's deeply considered assessment of human rights and human dignity ...
Three decades on, Queensland once again has a premier who finds some political advantage in skewing the balance between law and order, impugning the integrity and vocation of the legal profession."
Bookshelves Brandis, Two Wigs and Baby Bjelke became increasingly agitated throughout the oration.
By the time Fr Frank sat down to rapturous applause he found the guests at the high-table were positively glacial.
Bookshelves on his left and Two Wigs on his right did not utter a word and fled before pudding was consumed.
Baby Bjelke was livid and conveyed his disapproval to Brownie.
The Qld AG declined an invitation from the new president to respond to Brennan's remarks.
In any event, chatterboxes around town are saying that Brownie sought to repair the situation, so he wrote to the two AGs expressing regret at any distress caused by the after-dinner speaker.
Further, we hear, this apology has not gone down well with some on the QLS council who think that the president should have sought their views before issuing a grovel.
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Of course, it makes perfect sense for NSW lawyers to have their own political party.
This well-overdue idea is on the agenda of the City of Sydney Law Society.
Members are being polled for their response to a motion put forward by Mark (Turk) Warton:
"Do we want the City of Sydney Law Society to support the creation of a new political party, which will seek to pursue policies on behalf of the legal profession, by having a candidate elected to the NSW Legislative Council in the March 2015 election?"
Appropriately, the new organisation will be called the Equity Party. It will be all about equity for lawyers, because it's stated aim will be, "to protect the interests of the NSW legal profession".
The arguments for and against are set out here.
One of the concerns expressed by the CSLS is that running a political party and getting up candidates for the Upper House could send the society broke.
Also, it is unkindly pointed out in the "against" case:
"The public has a resistance to voting for lawyers on legal issues as they perceive lawyers are only interested in creating work for themselves."
Surely, if these niggles are squarely addressed during the election campaign there is no reason to doubt that the Equity Party could dislodge the Shooters and Rev Nile's Christians to capture the balance of power and control the fortunes of the state.
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CJ: Parramatta bound
NSW attorney general Greg Smif has been applying Chinese burns to the wrist of Chief Justice Tom Bathurst to get the Supreme Court of Riverview to show the flag in Parramatta.
Hundreds of millions of dollars have been lavished on the Parramatta Justice Precinct, but it's like dragging a dead horse to get the Supremes, or the Federal Court for that matter, to sit there.
With a population that makes Parra the second biggest city in the State and the size of South Australia, you'd think the Supreme Court could shift it's ample rear and hear the odd case there.
Last year, Garrie Gibson from an outfit called Access to Justice for Western Sydney, complained that most judges live in the eastern suburbs or the north shore, and don't like putting a buckled shoe on Parramatta Road.
See: Which way to Parramatta?
At about the same time Bathurst released a statement saying he'd think about it from "time to time" if anyone makes a proposal to sit out west.
Smith must have been putting in a ton of spade work, because today (March 7) he announced that the Court of Criminal Appeal will be making a magnificent symbolic visit to the wild west.
"The chief justice will bring the CCA with three judges to sit at the Parramatta Justice Precinct for two weeks in July and August.
This is an important first step, and the fact that Chief Justice Bathurst himself is coming to preside over part of the sittings shows how important he thinks the move is."
Apparently, "costs and logistics" make it difficult to have a full-time Parramatta presence for the Supremes.
Bathurst can only last out there for one week and will then be backed-up for the following week by fellow Riverview old boy, Major General Cliff Hoeben.