Pell’s critics ignore the fundamentals

Matthew Allan (Letters, 13/4) and others who maintain that the High Court ruling does not prove Cardinal Pell’s innocence misunderstand the fundamental principle of the justice system, which is that every person is innocent until proven guilty. The High Court went as far as it could in concluding that there was “a significant possibility that an innocent man has been convicted”. There now needs to be an independent inquiry into the failures of Victoria Police.

Alan Baker, Mansfield, Qld

Those itching to see Cardinal Pell pursued in a civil prosecution are pinning their hopes on a lower standard of proof than that which exists in criminal matters. They are now running the line that the Cardinal escaped on a “legal technicality”. This is a nonsense; there were no abstruse legal principles in play. The High Court quashed the conviction because the prosecution’s case rested on an aggregation of improbabilities such that a jury “acting rationally” should have entertained reasonable doubt as to the accused’s guilt, and was therefore obliged to acquit. Even with the reduced burden of proof of a civil case, the only way a prosecution could be succesful would be with an indominatable will to convict.

Terry Birchley, Bundaberg, QLD

A system under strain

I support Nick Cater (“Perhaps our aged-care system is not in so much crisis,” 13/4), where he writes positively about our aged-care system. My sister, who has early onset Alzheimer’s disease, is in a specialist dementia group home in Boronia Park. When I visited before the shutdown I saw nothing but admirable care and concern from the workers. My mother was also in care, until her death in 2015, and again I was impressed with the professionalism of the homes and the workers.

I am not surprised that there are incidents of bad behaviour, since working in aged-care is tough, but I don’t believe that the incidents of bad behaviour, sometimes dreadful, from the Royal Commission into aged care should be seen as a reflection of the whole system.

Miranda Montrone, Glebe, NSW

In defence of Kevin Rudd

Riley Brown (Letters, 13/4) claims the Rudd government’s “pink batts” and school halls projects “did nothing to counter the economic impact of the GFC”. These projects provided millions to contractors and their employees to spend as they saw fit, thereby returning much of the money earned into the nation’s economy. That is precisely why Australia was the only developed economy to escape the recession caused by the GFC.

Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin, ACT

A sporting chance

Given the difficulties of holding a full AFL season this year, might it be possible for Victoria to hold an old-fashioned VFL premiership with the winner having its win added to the official VFL record? To add to the retro flavour, the matches could be held at surviving VFL grounds — Essendon’s Windy Hill, for example — which would be more than adequate with no fans in attendance.

Bill Anderson, Surrey Hills, Vic.

So Peter V’landys and Wayne Pearce say it’s their intention to restart the NRL on May 28.

To expect players to return to the field in the midst of a pandemic is beyond belief. The NRL is clearly driven by their need to get money flowing again due to its lack of cash reserves. With rival Australian codes still in lock-down, a more responsible approach would be to wait until July, at the very least, before even considering starting again.

I live for sport, in particular rugby league, but as much as I’d love to see it on the TV again, my main concern is for the health and safety of its players.

Garry Jacobs, Arundel, QLD