Oh Dear

I've just finished reading this article about the latest consequence of the Palm Island incident. The Queensland Police Union apparently feels that certain aboriginal groups should be left to themselves under tribal law.

This of course neglects the fact that one of the guiding principles of a modern democracy is that all people are equal when it comes to the law. All people follow the same laws and those laws treat all people the in an equal fashion. All people should receive equal protection from those who break the laws. The idea of letting some people live under a different set of laws undermines all this.

Then there is the nature of the groups that the QPU wants to abandon. Telling aboriginal groups that they are separate from the rest of Australian society only works to increase the divides in our country.

The Palm Island incident has highlighted some of the problems that still exist in Australia. It should not be used as an excuse to move backwards.

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