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Costa swings a new blow at pesky DPP
Friday 01 June 2007
Greens MP Lee Rhiannon says Treasurer Michael Costa's attack on the NSW DPP Nicholas Cowdery, by referring his office to the Auditor-General for review and refusing his travel requests, is just another attempt to knock down a vocal critic of the NSW government's popularist law and order policies.
"Labor's law and order policies are the real threat to justice in NSW, not the DPP," Ms Rhiannon said.
"Michael Costa is the foot soldier of a government bent on finding ways to punish the DPP.
"Nicholas
Cowdery has been an outspoken critic of Labor's justice policies. He
has resisted government attempts to meddle in his sentencing and appeal
decisions and had the courage to label the State Plan a 'political
manifesto'.
"It is a sign of Treasurer Costa's small mindedness that he would forbid a key government official from travelling on legitimate overseas work trips to build important expertise and networks.
"The major parties fail to understand that the DPP's
independence is a cornerstone of a fair and equitable justice system in
this state.
"Treasurer Costa's time would be better spent
designing a budget that diverts the millions of dollars of dirty
revenue that land in his lap from the coal and gambling industries into
essential services such as those the DPP has been forced to suggest
should be cut," Ms Rhiannon said.
Contact: Lee Rhiannon 9230 3551, 0427 861 568.
Greens MP Lee Rhiannon is the Greens NSW senate candidate for the 2010 federal election ... 