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Intolerant and Untruthful
One Man's Web > Politics
and Ethics > Australia and the
refugees > Intolerant and Untruthful
Posted 1-6-2003
Sources: The
Age The
News Website The
News Website
Despite his protestations, the people whom all Australians admire continue
to slam the Howard Government's refugee policy.
Former governor-general Sir William Deane has criticised the federal government's human rights record, labelling the Liberal leadership intolerant and
untruthful, shrinking from the "challenge of justice and truth" and
seeking "advantage by inflaming ugly prejudice and intolerance".
Sir William urged young law graduates at the University of Queensland to be vigilant in fighting against injustice and falsehood.
He listed as challenges to justice and truth the children overboard cover-up, mandatory detention and the continued imprisonment of two Australians
in Guantanamo Bay.
"The challenge.. [is] never to be indifferent in the face of injustice or falsehood encompasses the challenge to advance the truth and human dignity rather than seek advantage ... and intolerance," he said.
He spoke of "the denial of the fundamental responsibility of a democratic government to seek to safeguard the human rights of all its citizens, including the unpopular and the alleged wrongdoer in the case of two Australians indefinitely caged without legal charge or process at Guantanamo Bay jail."
"If the coming generations of leaders refuses to honestly confront the denial of justice or truth ... our nation will surely lose its way," he said.
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