Ray Hadley roasts NSW Attorney General over problems in NSW parole and bail systems
Radio shock jock Ray Hadley has roasted NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman on air this morning accusing him of abandoning his responsibility to make “tough decisions”.
Radio shock jock Ray Hadley has roasted NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman on air this morning accusing him of abandoning his responsibility to make “tough decisions”.
Mr Speakman was lampooned over the recent issues with child sex offenders in NSW that have exposed serious problems in the parole and bail systems and rocked the government.
During a fiery interview Mr Hadley became enraged when Mr Speakman admitted he didn’t know the issues surrounding convicted child rapist and murderer Douglas James Wade’s bid for parole - a story that is in The Daily Telegraph today and has been covered on his radio program.
“Could I ask you to pick up page eight of The Daily Telegraph today, let alone listen to my program for the last week and you’ll be a bit better informed – I’m absolutely astounded the state’s top law officer doesn’t know about one of the most horrendous cases we’ve been dealing with for more than a week on this program and in The Daily Telegraph - your local newspaper - and you come on my program today and say “Ray I’m not aware of this” -- have you been on holidays or something?” Mr Hadley said.
The Daily Telegraph reported today that Corrections Minister David Elliott has vowed to take legal action if the state parole authority lets Wade out of jail.
Wade raped and murdered a 22-month-old girl in Tumut in 1989 with parole authorities today considering whether he should be allowed out of jail to return to an isolated property in the same town. Mr Hadley told listeners the little girls relatives still live in the town.
Mr Speakman told Mr Hadley he didn’t “run” the parole system and that was Mr Elliott’s responsibility.
“You’re the top law officer Mr Speakman and you’re not across one of the most important stories we’re confronting… as the top law officer in the state you should be across these sort of matters,” Mr Hadley said.
Mr Speakman said the government would “toughen any laws” if there’s a “need”.
The Attorney-General was also blasted after he said the government makes decisions based on advice from stakeholders with the sentencing council able to canvass issues with how offenders are punished.
He admitted it’s the government that appoints people to that council.
“It’s not me it’s a whole group of expert stakeholders telling us what should happen in NSW,” Mr Speakman said.
Mr Hadley accused him of passing the buck to bureaucracy and told listeners they shouldn’t bother voting in March since the Liberal government doesn’t make decisions themselves.
He urged the Attorney-General to stop worrying about expert panels and reviews and solve issues himself given he’s the “top law officer” in NSW.
“Well worry about them (NSW voters), not about the sentencing council. Because what they’re looking to from their elected officials is some sort of consolidation of ideas so that people like this bloke aren’t put back in the community…. Worry about the fact that Mark Speakman is the top law officer here -- he’s supposed to be running the show,” Mr Hadley said.
The broadcaster accused Mr Speakman of trying to shirk his responsibility.
“You’ll have to forgive me I thought that’s what we elected you for – I didn’t know that we elected all these other people to make these really tough decisions. I thought we elected Gladys Berejiklian, and Mark Speakman and (Corrections Minister) David Elliott, and the cabinet to make these really tough decisions, I didn’t know you’d abrogate your responsibility and say “no it’s too hard” and give it to someone else.”
Mr Speakman denied he was passing the buck and said the government wanted to listen to a “wide range” of points of view from stakeholders on issues before they acted.
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