Fed: Williams tells judges to butt out of the political process

AAP General News (Australia)
04-08-2001
Fed: Williams tells judges to butt out of the political process

Federal Attorney-General DARYL WILLIAMS says judges should keep out of politically
contentious issues such as mandatory sentencing.

Mr WILLIAMS has told a judicial conference at Uluru in the Northern Territory that
the doctrine of the separation of powers has to work both ways.

He says that on the one hand it means that the judiciary should be free of interference
from the executive.

But he says it also means that the judiciary should not interfere in matters that are
the responsibility of the government.

Mr WILLIAMS says the public confidence in the impartiality of the courts depends on
individual judges being seen as above the rough and tumble of political debate.

He says neither he nor the Commonwealth support mandatory sentencing laws operating
in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

AAP RTV mb/jmt

KEYWORD: MANDATORY WILLIAMS (CANBERRA)

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