When you have to work hard to ask a question that might provide an informative answer slightly related to the topic it means bureaucrats and Public Relationers are running the show in Queensland.
What we've got here is a failure to communicate.
Since I became aware of a revenue raiser the LNP had foreshadowed in their election commitments and rushed through State Parliament I have been looking for information about the Offender Levy, (not a tax.)
An election commitment proposed copying the New Zealand scheme, (where they don't impose Police court costs).
It would reap $13 million a year to pay for frontline Police.
That was softened when the levy, (not a tax) was introduced, implying it would benefit victims of crime.
Sneaky word play, as clever adviser worked realised paying police was helping victims of crime and was more fuzzy.
Simple question ... How has LNP's $1 million a month revenue raiser been spent?
LNP does not mind the use of retrospective legislation.
Those in the court system before the revenue raiser was announced copped 3 hits for pleading or being found guilty. (increased fines, increased Police Costs and a levy, (not a tax.)
It seems LNP is not even a little tiny bit curious to know how much it has raised.
How many extra Police have been employed?
How many victims of crime have been supported?
Their cute tactic is laundering cash and unpaid fines through SPER, the Government "collection house," mixed up with all the other revenue they raise.
SPER sends non-violent people to jail for not paying their fines while making it is hard for bad people to repay their debt to society with few community service options.
SPER is in the portfolio of the Member for Trade and State Treasurer.
LNP Ministers now rely on the trick of having a Chief of Staff reply on their behalf to say, "tough," we will not provide you any more information.
... failure to communicate.
Months of attempting to get clear answers about the Offender Levy ends in disappointment.
Simple question -
What feedback has been received about the implementation of the Offender Levy?
All those legal groups opposed to the hasty ramming of a revenue raiser through Parliament must have now fallen in line to praise the legislation.
Emails to Attorney General disappear into a big dark Ministerial Services hole, promises to return phone calls are not honoured.
LNP Public Relationers are not allowed to talk to the public, only to "official media."
The are paid for by the public, they should be willing to help answer questions because they have all information at their fingertips and unlimited departmental resources.
Maybe LNP knows the Offender Levy is not raising more than a million a month as its champion promised.
The Offender Levy must be an expensive dud.
They won't give any information.
One fine should be sufficient.
Cop the punishment, work out a way to pay it, engage in community service if you don't have the spare cash lying around.
Why antagonise criminals with three costs, in addition to lawyer fees they may have paid to help them through the court system.
Apparently the Ministers knows nothing about the stonewalling till he finally gets around to signing the response.
Does he ever sees the real questions to determine if they were answered by his letters?
Tricky public relationing generates non-answers which LNP Ministers will sign.
TBC
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