HIS OWN NOOSE

Where does the Labor Party stand on the death penalty? Last night I thought I knew even though I didn’t agree with the  Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister, Robert McLelland.

In a speech to a human rights forum he made it clear. Under a Rudd Government  Australia would oppose the death penalty in all circumstances. Even for killers like Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden.

Even more, Australia would take the lead in forming a regional coalition to fight the death penalties in countries like China and India and Japan and Singapore and Indonesia. That opposition would not be confined to Australians found guilty of capital crimes like some of the Bali Nine.

And he attacked Prime Minister Howard for not condemning the imminent execution of three of the Bali Bombers. Even though in recent comments they have welcomed becoming martyrs and have admitted  that if released from jail they would continue their murderous jihad.

McLelland almost blames John Howard for suicide missions. He accused the Howard Government of providing backup for the actions ‘ of all kinds of fanatical lunatics to take the lives of others in pursuit of their own warped ideologies’.  Figure that one out.

It seemed a strange and reckless issue for Labor to pin to the mast when probably seventy per cent of Australians support the death penalty in some categories. And that includes Labor voters.

According to the Herald Sun today the speech was understood to have been cleared by Kevin Rudd.

Well, if Rudd, or somebody in his office, did clear it, they’ve had rapid second thoughts. The panic button has been pushed.

He has rebuked his Shadow Minister and described his comments as ‘ highly insensitive’ coming just days before the fifth anniversary of the first Bali bombings which killed more than 200 people including 88 Australians.

Rudd says as Prime Minister he would fight to save the lives of Australians on death Row overseas. But he wouldn’t intervene over convicted terrorists.

So does that put him in the same category as John Howard?  If McLelland says Howard is ‘providing backup for fanatical lunatics’ by not opposing the death penalty in its entirety is he not painting his own leader with the same brush?

A Foreign Affairs spokesman speaks for his leader and his party. OR is Rudd truly a one-man band? 

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

©Copyright Derryn Hinch 2007