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PM stirs debate

By Lincoln Wright and Darrell Giles

31 December 2006 - Prime Minister John Howard has stirred up the Palm Island death-in-custody debate by suggesting someone from outside Queensland reviews the findings.

Mr Howard said yesterday he could "understand the feelings of people" over the decision of Director of Public Prosecutions Leanne Clare not to charge Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley over the death of Mulrunji Doomadgee in 2004.

The Queensland Government 10 days ago bowed to pressure from indigenous groups and commissioned an independent review of the DPP's controversial decision.

Retired judge Pat Shanahan resigned on Wednesday after being appointed to conduct the review after it emerged he had been on a panel that voted Ms Clare into the DPP role in 1999.

Premier Peter Beattie said a Queenslander might be appointed as a replacement, despite calls from the Palm Island community to appoint someone from interstate.

In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Mail on Friday, Mr Howard agreed with the islanders.
"It's very, very difficult. I never like to see the independence of the public prosecutor interfered with in any way," Mr Howard said.

"I think it would be a good idea if the Queensland Government found another person outside the state to get involved. I think that would make a lot of sense."

Mr Beattie had said it would be "a silly thing to do" to rule out a Queensland candidate to review Ms Clare's decision. "Let us see who is the best person for the job," he said.

Aboriginal leaders yesterday suggested former Supreme Court judge and Aboriginal justice advocate, Queensland's Angelo Vasta, QC, head the review.

Mr Howard, speaking from Kirribilli House in Sydney, refused to discuss his new political rival, Opposition Leader and Queenslander Kevin Rudd, but acknowledged it would be tough to win his fifth election, due in October.

Asked if he could beat the Labor leader, he said: "I think winning the next election will be quite hard . . . I won't lapse into commentary (on Rudd). I treat every opponent I have had, and now have, seriously.
"You won't get any complacent assumptions of an easy victory from me."

Other matters raised by Mr Howard included:

• Australia was unlikely to send more troops to Iraq.

• Long-term energy needs – including nuclear power– and climate change would be high on the agenda.
• The CSIRO report that said drought was part of a long-term cycle – not global warming – was a "reality check".

• Australian women had "moved on" from feminism and were having more babies.
Mr Howard, a self-confessed cricket tragic, said he intended to spend the first days of the new year at the Fifth Ashes Test in Sydney.

Source:The Sunday Mail

Further information: palm island issues page - includes news index and external links

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