LETTERS: We can't allow inmates to be killed

ON WORLD Day Against the Death Penalty, attention is drawn to capital punishment as a cruel and barbaric state-sponsored murder.

DEATH ROW: A letter writer says it's cruel to kill prisoners. Picture: Sue Ogrocki

It's barbaric to kill

ON WORLD Day Against the Death Penalty, October 10, organised by the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, attention is drawn to capital punishment as a cruel and barbaric state-sponsored murder.

In a world trending toward abolition of the death penalty, 40,000 remain on death row - many for non-violent drug offences; mostly low-level possession, trafficking and smuggling.

Most are convictions for drug charges - 60 per cent on death row in Malaysia and 45 per cent on Indonesia's and Thailand's death rows.

These victims of the war on drugs, whose basic human rights are incessantly violated, endure cruel mental and physical abuse considered inhumane treatment, even torture by UN agencies.

Many are kept in overcrowded, understaffed, unsanitary conditions including denial of medical aid and being shackled or caged, or held in isolation cells, unlit cells, cells near the gallows so that they can hear executions taking place.

"Human beings, no matter the crime or the sentence, never lose their fundamental rights and should never lose their dignity when they are in prison."

Australia can do more than simply stand by and allow these abuses to continue.

Basic human rights reform should be a prerequisite for trade, foreign aid and diplomacy relationships, lest Australia remain a silent voiceless open resource pit.

DIETER MOECKEL

Wonbah

Stamp out violence

THIS Sexual Violence Awareness Month, we need to work together as a community to end sexual violence and help those affected by this terrible scourge of violence.

Domestic, family and sexual violence are all issues that we as Queenslanders need to work together to stamp out.

That is why I am calling on the Palaszczuk Labor Government to stop delaying, stop making hollow promises, and take action to combat sexual violence.

Over two months ago, Labor's minister promised to combat sexual violence but so far we have seen no action.

Sadly this is after the Palaszczuk Labor Government sat on the final report of the Youth Sexual Violence and Abuse Steering Committee for 16 months.

While delays are made, domestic violence breaches continue to increase, child safety continues to worsen and sexual violence continues to be an issue plaguing Queenslanders every day.

This month I call on everyone to do their bit to stamp out sexual violence and to let those affected know that they can find help.

STEPHEN BENNETT

LNP shadow minister for child safety, youth, prevention of domestic and family violence

Danger to parties

IT WAS interesting to read that parliamentarians will be allowed a conscience vote on abortion reform law.

Commendable but dangerous.

Have the power brokers realised they have only weeks to train their members to think for themselves?

And if they do bring about this revolutionary miracle, what if the future politicians who use their conscience to vote are surely a danger to any political party?

It is nonsense to suggest this is only one time.

Thinking could become a habit and then our present system of government would collapse.

Panic! Panic! The sky is falling.

It is the end of the political world as we know it.

FREDERICK F ARCHER

Bundaberg

Empty promises

THE headlines of increased wages and more employment resulting from the proposed business tax cuts defies logic and doesn't stand up to any critical analysis.

The tax cuts, if legislated, as with all of this government's policies is not starting until after the next term.

The press release says a business with a turnover of $50million per year will save $7500 in 2020-21 and $12,500 in the following years.

So, in three years we are expected to believe these business owners will use this $7500 and the extra $5000 the next year to employ how many more people, and at the same time use the same money to give wage rises?

Not many permanent jobs even with $12,500, and not many pay rises either, just more empty rhetoric by these masters of deception.

As usual, they are delivering nothing now and promising big things for well after their political reign has become a dim and dismal memory, with their austerity measures designed to balance the budget but sadly leaving a mountain of government debt as their legacy.

MAX TANZER

Elliott Heads

Originally published as LETTERS: We can't allow inmates to be killed