Most say crime sentences are too lenient

People have been saying this for years but governments would rather hire more clerks than build more prisons. The bureaucrat below tries to spin his way out of the obvious but my own study of the matter is not suceptible to the evasions which are possible when interpreting the simple-minded survey reported below

Two thirds of NSW people surveyed on public confidence in the legal system believe criminal sentences are too lenient, a new report claims. The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research's first report on public confidence in sentencing and knowledge of the legal system says 66 per cent feel sentences are either "a little lenient" or "much too lenient".

However, BOCSAR director Don Weatherburn said many of the 2000 people surveyed were also misinformed or "seriously mistaken" about crime and the criminal justice system. "When we analyse the data we found that those most dissatisfied with the justice system are also the most mistaken about crime conviction and sentencing," he told reporters today.

Dr Weatherburn said the high level of dissatisfaction could not be simply dismissed as a case of "public ignorance", as some concerns might be justified. But he said the media, and particularly talkback radio and tabloid newspapers, were responsible for misconceptions. "Most of the influential sources of information about the criminal justice system is the media, that's why it's so important for the media to get the facts right," Dr Weatherburn said. "That's something which I think in my experience increasingly is not happening."

Retired Supreme Court judge John Dunford, who is also deputy chair of the NSW Sentencing Council, told reporters more needed to be done to educate people about the sentencing process and dispel the myths.

Dr Weatherburn said if people did not have faith in the system there was a risk they would take matters into their own hands. "I think it's dangerous for people to lose confidence in the justice system when there isn't sufficient ground to do so," he said. "I think that's the worry, when people start thinking the justice system is not doing its job and they start thinking they should take justice into their own hands."

The survey found 72 per cent of people are "very" or "fairly confident" the justice system respected the rights of accused persons and treated them fairly. Just over half were "confident" or "very confident" that the criminal justice system brought people to justice.

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Public broadcaster reform

The devil will be in the detail. Focusing on board membership is in any case a red herring. The board has little influence on programming. It is the hard-Left staff who are the big political problem

The ABC and SBS face a possible merger and their boards are to be "de-politicised" in sweeping reforms announced by the Federal Government. Communications Minister Stephen Conroy signalled that the ABC and SBS were facing significant challenges and needed better accountability. Among the more contentious proposals is the possible merger of some ABC and SBS operations, including transmission and some operations.

Politicians and their staff will be banned from the boards so prime ministers can't make appointments from "Christmas card lists". Senator Conroy said former prime minister John Howard had used his "Christmas card list" in determining who should fill positions on the boards. Board vacancies will now be filled by public advertisements - beginning today. Former politicians and senior political staff will be ineligible for selection.

Senator Conroy yesterday also released a new discussion paper on the "digital future" of the two national public broadcasters, canvassing a range of ideas including that some aspects be shared. Senator Conroy and ABC managing director Mark Scott said potential savings from pooling some functions should be examined. "We think there are opportunities for efficiencies to be made whilst ensuring the independence and integrity of two great public broadcasters," Mr Scott said. "Of course that should be investigated properly."

The position of a staff-elected director to the ABC board will be reinstated and applications for board vacancies will be assessed by a nomination panel set up at "arm's length" from the minister. The measures, based on election commitments, will be outlined in draft legislation to be introduced soon.

A discussion paper on "merit and transparency" to the ABC and SBS boards said public broadcasters needed to have the best-qualified and most experienced members to meet future challenges. "With the expected proliferation of internet-based services, traditional broadcasting may not continue to hold the same degree of influence it had in an analog world," the paper said.

And it means current or former local, state or federal parliamentarians will be ineligible for appointment, as will current or former senior political staff. The prime minister will select the ABC chairman in consultation with the minister of the day. The prime minister will then consult with cabinet and the opposition leader before making a recommendation to the governor-general.

Consultation will allow the public to have their say on the future of the ABC and SBS over the next two months. The Government will consider submissions ahead of the next three-year funding agreement for national broadcasters, which begins in the middle of next year.

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More deadbeat NSW public hospitals

How disgraceful that it takes big publicity in order to get a hospital to pay its bills

Shoalhaven Hospital, on the South Coast, came close to halting all surgery recently because it had just a day's worth of sterilisation solution left due to unpaid bills, a senior doctor says. The head of surgery, Associate Professor Martin Jones, told the Herald the hospital was also put on "stop supply" 10 days ago for cataract lenses - the second time in two months - by a supplier tired of waiting for bills to be paid. "We just haven't paid our bills," he said. "All the sterilisation in theatre was coming to an end and we didn't have the supply to go for more than 24 hours. "The hospital would have to close . because nothing would be sterilised."

He said the bill was paid urgently and the supply ban lifted after he had wasted considerable time chasing management about the problem. "We who are working on the ground in getting the simple operations done to look after the rural people of the health service just don't need that as a frustration," he said. "We do run very close to the bone in a large number of supply goods."

The Herald understands tens of millions of dollars are owed to medical suppliers by four area health services - Northern Sydney Central Coast, Greater Southern, South Eastern Sydney Illawarra and Greater Western. The NSW Health Department has refused to reveal how much it owes and has gagged its area health services. South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Health did not respond to Professor Jones's claims.

The state Opposition health spokeswoman, Jillian Skinner, said she had been contacted by several businesses over recent months complaining about unpaid bills. One company, Leeton Diagnostic Imaging, confirmed yesterday it was owed $35,752 from May until two weeks ago. Yass air-conditioning mechanic Touie Smith was owed $18,386.50 for accumulated bills from April until the end of August, when they were finally paid.

Roger Christie, who owns Merimbula Taxi Service, said he has been owed $4423.65 since July for transporting patients and blood from Pambula to Bega hospital. As he has the only taxi service in the area he said he felt obliged to continue servicing the health department. "Obviously, I would prefer the money was in my bank and not their's. It's an ongoing thing. I got a call at 1.30 this morning to take blood . because someone had a car accident. It was an emergency so I can't really say no," he said.

The State Government has had to release $11 million urgently in the past few weeks to cover debts to suppliers after many refused to grant credit to NSW hospitals.

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Homosexual marriage issue back on the boil

Liberal leader Malcolm Turnbull has carpeted one of his own backbenchers as tensions flare in the Coalition over changes to same-sex laws. In a key test of Coalition partyroom unity, Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi has slammed the proposed changes as "offensive". He said they would make same-sex couples "virtually identical" to conventional marriage.

Amid concerns the Liberal leader is taking the party too far to the Left, several Coalition MPs claim Mr Turnbull's support is driven by concerns about a voter backlash in his inner-Sydney seat. "Malcolm views everything through the prism of how it will play out in Wentworth," one Liberal MP said.

The proposed changes to same-sex laws are designed to ensure these couples enjoy the same financial and work-related entitlements as opposite-sex families. But a Senate committee has raised concerns over the legislative changes, which refer to children as a "product" of a relationship. This has incensed some Coalition MPs who claim the laws will undermine traditional marriage. Senator Bernardi claimed the changes suggested mothers were "little more than an incubator".

Mr Turnbull has been a long-standing advocate of gay rights -- his electorate has the largest gay population of any electorate in Australia. He spoke to Senator Bernardi after his parliamentary spray and sources claimed the talks were robust. Senator Bernardi refused to comment last night. He had claimed the draft laws would undermine traditional marriage, which had taken a "beating" during the past 30 years. "We do not expect the RSL to broaden their membership to include bohemian peaceniks, we do not ask the Country Women's Association to include men and we do not ask the National Rugby League or the AFL to include women in their teams," Senator Bernardi said. "Why is it then that we defy the same sort of logic when it comes to marriage?"

The Liberal senator said he knew he would be called a "homophobe" but other Liberal MPs also worry the Coalition is racing to back the Government's reforms before proper debate. Former Howard government minister Chris Ellison blasted the Coalition's shadow attorney-general George Brandis during a lively partyroom debate this week.

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