CHILD PORN IS NOT A VICTIMLESS CRIME

The District Court is finally starting to reflect the punishments that society demands for child sex offences. The story in the Courier Mail shows that Judges are trying to send out the message that child porn is not a victimless crime and they should be commended for that.
Read the story at this link-
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/jail-only-option-for-man-guilty-of-possessing-child-porn-judge-rules/story-e6freoof-1226138823626

The story mentions the sentence handed down and without knowing the facts presented and possible appeals I will not comment I will let others make up their mind if they think it is adequate.

The issue to be discussed is this thinking that viewing shild porn is somehow not as bad as committing the crime or that there is no victim. Having worked in a role dealing with child sex offenders and those viewing child porn I have heard first hand how they try and justify or mitigate their actions as 'not that bad'. They are just as bad as the person committing the offence.If we send a mixed message about what is acceptable in society, we set people up to fail.

I say that people in possession of child porn are helping facilitate child sex offences. if there was no market, people wouldn't be selling the images.To make it clear that possessing child porn is just as bad as committing the offence, they should be charged as a 'party to the offence' depicted in the photo/image and penalties reflect same.

AMBO's REMEMBRANCE DAY

Great to see a good turn out on The Esplanade for the remembrance ceremony for ambulance staff. With 32 staff having lost their lives in the line of duty shows just how dangerous the role is that these men and women perform.We regularly hear about the bravery of firefighters and coppers but not so much about ambulance staff.
The crap these staff have to put up with these days would make most people shudder, yet day after day they keep showing up to keep us safe.
My thoughts go out to all the brave ambulance staff and their friends and families. I appreciate what you do and hope you all stay safe.

MENTAL HEALTH FARCE

Yesterday I posted about the stupid decision regarding mental health cuts and the need to re-instate the previous arrangements so people particularly in rural and regional Australia had more options. I sent out a media press release regarding the issue which you can read below.

It was disappointing that this did not get picked up by the Cairns Post given the major story in the Courier Mail about Cairns on mental health issues. The story provided figures showing Cairns patients have had to wait 150hours to get a bed. 86% of patients have to wait greater than 8hours. That's only the ones who hang around, how many walk out before they see someone to get the help they need?
While these people are waiting in cues or taking up beds it puts a further strain on the already struggling Emergency Department. Anything that takes pressure of our public health system and Emergency Department surely is a better solution than continuing with this.

This also follwoed the revelation from the member for Cairns that the current funding arrangements for Cairns Base Hospital are inequitable and have been a problem for 20years. WTF?? Then why didn't you do something?The story below shows the results.

you can read the Courier mail story at -

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/mental-health-delays-a-joke/story-e6freoof-1226138234920

And the press release I put out yesterday-

Media release for Friday 16^th September 2011

Mental health service cuts impact on regional Australia

The Australian Party Candidate for Cairns Darren Hunt has called on the government to re-instate the program that provided mental health services to regional and rural Australia.

Mr Hunt said “The decision to cut the maximum visits allowed under the previous scheme since 2006 because of the new ‘Better access to mental health care’ is going to have severe impacts for areas like Cairns and surrounding rural and regional areas.”

“These decisions are made by bureaucrats in major cities who have access to a wide variety of health services that are not available to people in the bush. Where do those people go under this scheme?”

“People won’t drive 4hours off their farm, to catch a 2 hour plane ride for a one hour session in the city with a psychiatrist. There has to be flexibility and local services to meet the unique needs of Far North Queensland.”

“Too many Queenslanders are lost to suicide from mental health issues that could be addressed and I encourage everyone to make their voice heard with their local representatives or join the better access petition at http://betteraccess.net/index.php/petition-link.

Darren Hunt

Candidate for Cairns

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

There is currently moves to convince the government to re-instate the program that previously provided mental health assistance. These types of programs are vital in regional and rural Australia to provide services to people that often don't have access to other options.

The cost of not doing anything compared to re-instating this program does not even come close.

http://betteraccess.net/index.php/petition-link

MILK PRICING COSTING FNQ JOBS AND INDUSTRY

The farcical comments today from Coles marketing manager/spin doctor shows they just don't get it and think we are a bunch of morons. This is a ploy to corner the market like they did with fuel. Choke the farmers out and then charge what you like when you have a monopoly on milk. The other arm to this strategy is that it chokes small corner stores, local shops etc that rely on foot traffic associated with buying milk. Again, choke out the independents and then jack up prices.
At least 20 farmers have folded from the Tablelands sincen this practice commenced. If Coles/Wollies were fair dinkum about 'responding to customers' and not just trying to choke the diary industry to manipulate prices, why won't they drop the price of branded milk like Dairy Farmers that uses FNQ produced milk? With former contracts to provide milk for the no name brands not renewed means if there is no demand for branded milk, because no name is a $1/llitre, the FNQ dairy industry will grind to a halt.
If these supermarkets are telling the truth, then drop the price of Dairy Farmers/Mungali/any other brand using FNQ milk to $1/litre.
here is my media release-

The Katter’s Australian Party Cairns candidate Darren Hunt says the recent actions by major supermarkets on milk pricing is costing Far North Queensland jobs and placing our dairy industry in danger of closure.

Mr Hunt said “The claims by Coles today that they are merely responding to consumers call for cheaper prices is rubbish. If that is true I call on Coles and Woolworths to drop the branded milk using Queensland produced milk to $1 per litre, instead of just the unbranded Victorian produced milk, and let consumers decide.”

“These actions are costing FNQ jobs. Farmers are walking away with about 20 lost to FNQ since this pricing scheme started. The argument it doesn’t change the farm gate price is correct, but the issue is if there is no demand for the branded milk due to the unfair pricing of Victorian produced no-name brands then there won’t be anything paid at the farm gate and our industry will fold.”

“There has been an overall decrease in milk consumption despite the reduced supermarket costs. The actions by these supermarkets are exactly what they did with fuel prices. It is their aim to squeeze the local independents out so they can move in and have a monopoly on milk. Just like fuel, once the independents are gone, milk prices will go through the roof.”

“If Coles stands by it’s comments it is only about providing for consumers, then let’s see them drop the Queensland produced milk price or we will know they are simply talking dairy cow manure.”


Darren Hunt
Australian Party Candidate for Cairns

PAYROLL TAX REFORM NEEDED

As our economy struggles to cope with uncertainty we really need to diversify our economy. Small and medium businesses play an important role in this process and that is why we are pushing for payroll tax reform. After the announcement by Suncorp that they are considering moving jobs off shore it is more important than ever to secure our economic future. here is the press release-

The Katter’s Australian Party Cairns candidate Darren Hunt says the recent announcement that Suncorp was considering sending jobs off shore highlights the need for urgent payroll tax reform.

Mr Hunt said “Here we go again. Another day, another Queensland business being forced to look at sending jobs overseas. The government has claimed at the last election they were all about jobs, jobs, jobs. We’ve seen how well that worked out. Not only can’t they create the new ones they promised, but we are losing the ones we already have due to bureaucracy and a crippling tax regime.”

Mr Hunts’ calls come after Suncorp indicated they may be sending jobs off shore with the potential to lose thousands of finance sector jobs.

“The Australian Party has put forward a proposal for payroll tax reform that would help strengthen our economy. There is clearly something wrong that we are losing so many jobs and this must change if we want any jobs to remain in Queensland.”

“This government cannot continue to rely on job figures from the mining sector to cover up the obliteration of jobs in other sectors of our economy. If we do not have a diversified economy when the mining boom eases we will be left swinging in the breeze with no chance to come back. It is time Queensland was given a competitive edge and payroll tax reform will aid that.”

Darren Hunt
Australian Party Candidate for Cairns

CRIME SPREE SHOWS NEED FOR HELICOPTERS

After the recent crime spree in Cairns and the chase down south it is further proof of the need for a strategic helicopter fleet for use by the Qld Police Service. here is the media release put out by me-

The Australian Party spokesperson for police, corrections and emergency services Darren Hunt has called for a strategic helicopter fleet for Queensland Police after a spate of dangerous incidents.

Mr Hunt said “The recent events in Cairns and the Gold Coast highlights the need for a strategic helicopter fleet for police instead of having to rely on news crews. This government has dragged it’s feet for too long on this issue. Innocent people had their lives put in danger at Cairns and the Gold Coast in the past two days and it is time for this to end.”


“We have a pursuit policy so restrictive police are too scared to do their job and supervisors don’t even ask details anymore, they just automatically terminate pursuits as displayed last night.


“The Australian Party has been calling for a fleet of strategically based helicopters to service the state. Of course it makes sense to have the first one based in South East Queensland. But there should also be one based in Cairns to service the Far North and if viable a third based in Central Queensland. Police currently rely on other agencies, such as Emergency Management Queensland, which has seen their fleet grounded over recent weeks, limiting police options.”


“Last year the Queensland Police Service did not spend a significant amount of their budget, which would easily cover the costs associated. Instead of focusing on buying fixed wing aircraft to ferry politicians around pork barreling marginal electorates, this government should be focusing on giving police the resources they need to do their job and that starts with a strategic helicopter fleet.”




Darren Hunt
Australian Party Candidate for Cairns