Library study shows that QLD politicians have power to act against Neo-Nazis

Rob Messenger today released a Parliamentary Library research (see attached) which shows that the Queensland Labor government has the legislative power to authorise a criminal investigation against the person or persons promoting and organising the neo-Nazi “Hammered" music festival and race hate gathering in Queensland.

"Today I call on the LNP’s Shadow Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie to state what he would do if the LNP were the alternative government, and to also sign my petition ( www.robmessenger.com/anti-neo-nazi-petition )," Mr Messenger said.  

"Will Jarrod act like the current Attorney-General and do nothing regarding the Neo-Nazi festival organisers? Or would a future LNP government use the considerable powers authorised to our state’s first law officer under the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Qld)?

"The library study is an embarrassment for the current Labor Government and Attorney-General, Paul Lucas, who said recently that he didn't have any power to intervene or stop the festival.  Does the Shadow Attorney-General agree with him?," he said.

The research brief clearly points out that in relation to proponents of race-hate,  which would include Neo-Nazis: “ in some States, including Queensland, the legislation allows for the offence of serious vilification to be defined as a criminal offence, if consent is obtained from the Attorney-General to proceed."

Mr Messenger said in other words, the Attorney-General does have the power to act.                                    

"If Paul Lucas gave written consent to Queensland Police, they could at the very least, begin a criminal investigation into the people responsible for the Hammered festival website:( http://whitelawtowers.blogspot.com/2012/01/hammered-music-festival-australia-2012.html )," Mr Messenger said.

"This website is likely to contain material which qualifies as a 'public act' and have links to material which 'knowingly or recklessly incites hatred towards, serious contempt for, or severe ridicule of, a person or group of persons on the grounds of their race, religion, sexuality or gender identity of the person or members of the group'.  

"If this was the case, then the person or persons responsible for the website may have committed a crime under section 131A of our Anti-Discrimination Act (see attached) and should feel the full force of our law.

"This government is keen to prosecute farmers and fishers who cut down the wrong tree or drop a line one metre inside a green zone - why won’t they spend money to try and stop neo-Nazis from spreading their poison?," Mr Messenger said.