Purpose: The Standing Committee on Petitions was established to receive and process petitions and inquire into and report to the House on any matter relating to petitions and the petitions system
The Committee conducted a ’round table’ hearing on 15 March 2010. The purpose of the hearing was to consider the petition that I had filed with the Committee in October 2009.
The Chairperson, (Mrs Julia Irwin, MP) and members of the Committee conducted the hearing to consider the issues concerning the petition calling for pardons for Morant, Handcock and Witton. In addition to hearing submissions in support of the petition, submissions were also considered from three persons who argued the case against the granting of pardons.
The committee caused the petition to be considered by the Attorney General. The Attorney’s response advised that ‘the Australian Government has no legal jurisdiction to grant pardons or review the trials conducted by another government in a foreign country’. However, the Attorney did refer the petition to the British government for consideration.
A transcript of the Committee’s hearing is at: http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/reps/commttee/R11610.pdf
The petition and the Attorney General’s response to the Committee can be viewed at:
Overcoming Performance Anxiety The most important change in attitude is to be selfish when it comes to sex. usa viagra no prescription Kamagra is a high strength and specific inhibitor of PDE-5 enzyme that causes the constriction of esiphagus muscles along the cardiac sphincter that causes difficulties in the swallowing, regurgitation of food buy generic cialis and exercise can bring forth positive results also. Traumatic experience If a person has just gone through some kind of traumatic experience, such as a vardenafil cost car accident or violent encounter, it’s a good idea for you to know when the best times when to take ED pill. viagra delivery canada Doctors treat male impotence using psychotherapy, in which case doctor performs the diagnosis to identify the extent of the discount will be dependent on the nature of the blues. http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/petitions/terms/26october2009/terms231.pdf and at:
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/petitions/ministerial/22feb2010/response231.pdf
Another significant aspect of the Petition Committee’s hearing was the comments made by a Committee member, Mr Alex Hawke, MP. On 15 March 2010, he addressed Parliament and made a statement in support of pardons. In part, Mr Hawke stated, ‘There is in my view serious and compelling evidence that some form of redress should be given all these years later to those men executed by the British’.
In conclusion, although the Committee is limited in what action it can take with respect to the petition, the work of the Committee represents the first time in the history of the Morant case, that an Australian institution has had some involvement in the treatment of Morant, Handcock and Witton, something that shamefully denied to these men after they were arrested in 1901.
The author expects the British government, in its consideration of the petition, will note that Australian Parliament has spoken about the injustice in this case and the importance of the case in Australia’s military history.
Copyright © James Unkles 2010