FED: Court and Burke strongly defend mandatory laws

AAP General News (Australia)
04-15-2000
FED: Court and Burke strongly defend mandatory laws

By James Grubel, Chief Political Correspondent

MELBOURNE, April 15 AAP - Northern Territory Chief Minister Denis Burke and Western
Australian Premier Richard Court today launched a strong defence of their mandatory sentencing
laws at the federal Liberal Party convention.

The two leaders were applauded by the convention when they declared law and order issues
should not be subjected to federal interference.

Mr Burke, who forged a $5 million deal with Prime Minister John Howard to ease the
impact of mandatory sentencing on young people, said the laws were overwhelmingly supported
in the Northern Territory.

He said the NT government believed there was a place for the government to intervene
to force repeat offenders, including juveniles, into detention and rehabilitation programs.

Mr Court told critics in Victoria and New South Wales to look after their own problems
and stop telling WA what it should do.

"Mandatory sentencing is just simply not an issue in Western Australia," he said.

Mr Court said a survey in WA found 93 per cent of people in his state supported the laws.

"It's interesting listening to people from what we call the eastern states criticising
our legislation, saying that it is basically the issue that children are being put at
risk," he said.

He said more children were at risk of death and injury from crime in Victoria and New
South Wales.

"So I suggest you look after your home base first before you start telling us what
to do," he said.

Mr Burke said people in the eastern states did not understand the issues.

"In the Northern Territory it is widely supported within the community," he said.

"They understand the issue.

"In Territorians' minds, punishment has a real place in the justice system.

"At the end of the day, when you are dealing with recidivist criminals, there is a
place where you need direct intervention."

He said the judiciary believed politicians should not intervene on sentencing.

"We simply say there is a point, particularly when you are dealing with recidivist
criminals, particularly juveniles at a certain age, where the appropriate intervention
is necessary."

He said the intervention programs at the Don Dale detention centre in the NT were positive
and focused on rehabilitation.

New South Wales Liberal leader Kerry Chikarovski said mandatory sentencing laws were
not on her agenda for the next election.

But she fully supported the right of the NT and WA to make their own laws on the issue.

AAP jg/as

KEYWORD: LIBERALS MANDATORY.

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