This needs the support of everyone!!
Forwarded at the request of Bruce Reyburn
22 July 1999
OLYMPIC GAMES IN SYDNEY YEAR 2000 TOURIST WARNING!
NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA
ANTI-SOCIAL DARWINISM ALERT!
IF YOU NEVER NEVER KNOW,
YOU MAY FOREVER EVER GO - STRAIGHT TO DARWIN'S JAIL.
Tourists thinking of including a visit to Darwin as part of
their Australian visit for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games are
advised to make themselves familiar with the draconian
provisions mandatory sentencing Northern Territory
legislation.
See below for details of how to contact the Northern Territory
Tourist Commission for more information about N.T. mandatory
sentencing legislation.
HOW ANTI-SOCIAL DARWINISM QUICKLY SPREADS
These provisions remove the discretion of magistrates to
provide alternates to jail sentences for the smallest of
offenses against property, even for first offenders.
* For example, if you take a can of drink valued at $2, you
gain two weeks jail even if you were dying of thirst.
Magistrates have no discretion even if it is your first
offence.
* Your second minor offence earns three months in jail, and
can have taken place before your first offence so you have no
way of knowing the penalty for your minor human weakness at
the time. Three months in jail is a long time, bro.
* And that towel in your bag with the Darwin motel's name on
it has been proven to be worth a year in an anti-social Darwin
jail before you get to Kakadu or Uluru. A year's jail for a
towel!
TOURISTS NOT IMMUNE
Although these laws were not intended to target the visitors
who underwrite much of the Northern Territory economy and
urban lifestyle, as a visitor you could become accidentally
caught up in this anti-social Darwinism experiment.
Chief Minister Denis Burke says the mandatory sentencing
regime is intended purely to show "community displeasure" at
the actions of marginalised and disadvantaged community
members - disadvantaged community members resulting from 25
years of his Country-Liberal Party's monopoly on government.
"Go directly to jail!" is the CLP's simple minded message.
BACKGROUND CONDITION - 25 BAD LAW YEARS
Anti-social Darwinism has taken several festering forms in the
N.T. during the last quarter century. Remember, these forms
are not designed with you visitors in mind, but anti-social
Darwinism insists on one law for all - rich and poor, black
and white. Try to spot the oneness:
* the infamous "2 Kilometre Law" - no drinking in a public
place within two kilometres of an alcohol outlet.
* jail sentences which apply for non-payment of fines under
Darwin by-laws if you go to sleep in a public place in Darwin
between sunset and sunrise.
* mandatory jail sentencing for petty offenses against
property.
* new amendments will protect middle class children 15-16
years of age but not children ("repeat offenders") from
chronically disadvantaged families.
* despite recommendations in the Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
report, which said jail should always be a last resort, the
Country-Liberal Party insists that, in the name of one law for
all, jail will the Territory's First Resort in all cases
involving property.
GLOBAL HEALING ENERGY REQUIRED
To help heal life in the Northern Territory, healing energy is
needed from outside the Territory to support those good
Territorians who are opposed to mandatory sentencing and anti-
social Darwinism in all forms. Outside expressions of concern
are a vital part of the cure - repealing bad laws.
Restoring discretion to Northern Territory magistrates and
judges will allow them to exercise a balanced judgement in
line with sentencing guidelines negotiated with affected
communities and parties. Let the penalty be related to the
offence in all cases, with jail as a last resort. Restore the
true spirit of the rule of law in the Northern Territory.
Brothers and Sisters everywhere, please contribute to the
healing by sending a message to the Northern Territory Tourist
Commission mentioning mandatory sentencing as outlined below
or write your own healing script. No abuse please.
TERRITORY'S FIRST RESORT - WARNING NOTICE
To find out more about the risk of anti-social Darwinism may
pose to your travel plans, contact the Northern Territory
Tourist Commission at their website http://www.nttc.com.au
or e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
* Request more information about the Northern Territory's
"First Resort Jail Package" - mandatory sentencing laws.
* Request the NT Tourist Commission to add a "WARNING NOTICE -
First Resort-Jail Law" section about Mandatory Sentencing
Legislation on their website so you can read the 'whole story'
before visiting the Northern Territory.
Note: The unwary visitor may be exposed to AIDS, Hepatitis C,
violence and other life threatening conditions resulting in
depression and suicidal tendencies while in the Territory's
First Resort jails.
* Say "Get well soon" to the Territory and ask the NT Tourist
Commission to send you an "All Clear - please visit" message
when the outbreak of anti-social Darwinism presently raging in
Darwin is brought under control by healthy local people.
PLEASE CIRCULATE THIS MESSAGE WIDELY
Pass this warning about Northern Territory anti-social
Darwinism to others who may be thinking about including Darwin
in their travel itinerary during their visit to Australia for
the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
AUSTRALIANS AGAINST MANDATORY SENTENCING
e-people for a global fair go
contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
WATCH THIS SPACE --- E-DEMO MESSAGE FOLLOWS SOON
Don't throw in the towel. Act now!
-------------------------------------------------------
RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at
http://www.mail-archive.com/
To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body
of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce
This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission
from the
copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under
the "fair
use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further
without
permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use."
RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/
