Arbeit macht frei: - Fredrick Töben

The Internet provides enough material to keep us busy for a long time, and
enables us to continue to follow such issues. In the end, the question of the
need for an independent commission against corruption, something the
Premier does not wish to establish at a state level, takes on a higher priority.
On 15 October 2009 the Advertiser reports astute Liberal politician Rob
Lucas saying that on numerous occasions, ‘Whenever difficult questions
have been asked, the Premier’s position has been that he is unable to
comment on the issue because it is before the courts. However, the
hypocrisy of the Premier’s position is clear when he, the Attorney-General
and others comment publicly on many other cases before the courts.’
The premier sued Channel 7 for an item about the matter, and on Sunday,
14 February 2010, the television station apologises for any suggestion that
‘Mike Rann’s relationship with Michelle Chantelois had affected his
performance as Premier’. But it would not retract the suggestion Rann had
had a sexual relationship with Chantelois, who meanwhile has taken a lie
detector test to prove she is telling the truth.
As the matters plays out, including a court appearance by the premier’s
attacker, Jim is left to bide his time in prison, rowing his personal boat to
nowhere because Premier Rann wants to appear tough on crime and so
refuses to accept the Parole Board’s recommendation, twice, that he be
released. Perhaps individuals in the Rann government begrudge the fact
that Earley is not a broken man after spending almost 21 years in prison.
Jim is completely sane and his moral and intellectual development shows
no arrested development.
In my 13-year exposure to the Federal Court, I found individual judges
bereft of such moral and intellectual development, of which their recorded
responses speaks volumes. Outright dishonesty and manipulation of facts
has not been a common phenomenon in my matter, which indicates that
those who have such a breakdown are fearful of living a morally upright life.
Jim has seen the errors of his way and can thus stand tall and be proud of
the insights he has won during his imprisonment.
And it is time that he be released, that he has done his time and it is time to
extend to him the hand of compassion and mercy, the two moral values
that make up the basic civilising principle of justice.
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