■ Solicitor at the Redfern Legal Centre 1978 to 1984
■ Appointed judge of the Supreme Court of NSW in 1999 by the Carr Labor government
■ Appointed to the NSW Court of Appeal in early 2000 by the Iemma Labor government
■ Appointed judge of the High Court in 2008 by the Rudd Labor government
■ Former host of ABC Late Night Live
Mr Albanese said the government chose not to launch a royal commission, which would compel Mr Morrison to appear to give evidence, saying it would be “extraordinary” for the former prime minister to refuse a former justice.
“If it was the case that Virginia Bell felt she was not getting the cooperation that was required, then I’m certain that other measures could be considered,” he said.
Like Albanese, I’m no lawyer but unless he revives peine forte et dure, I’m pretty sure there are no “measures” available to force a man to testify about a non-existent crime for which he hasn’t been charged. Of course, the caudillo could change his mind and call a second ScoMo Royal Commission but that would only destroy his own government. As things stand, Albanese’s obsessive behaviour must already be a concern to at least a few of his colleagues.
Morrison might regret not growing a pair when he was prime minister. Reigning in the ABC for one. He probably thought he would sail off into the happy-clappy sunset. You reap what you sow I think it says in a big book somewhere.
They better be careful where they go with this. Sleazy is breaking with convention and sooner or later LNP will regain power, even in one of the states. Present Queensland and Victorian Premiers beware. Victoria especially.
For the record never been a fan of slomo but again media hypocrisy on this is illuminating especially having been in Victoria for 2 and half weeks now.
Ironic then think that there might be an inclination to enact a prime-ministerial reversal of the religious roles that led to the martyrdom of Margaret Clitherow
Rowan Dean certainly nailed this one:
Fight the Tories or govern the country?
No brainer for Albo.
We can only wish, Rockdoctor.
What’s to stop Morrison from telling Albo to shove his show trial, and have nothing to do with it?
Lee
Probably nothing except the lack of a spine?
True, John.
Nothing.
Call his bluff.
The only way for Morrison to be compelled to ‘testify’ is for Albanese to call another Royal Commission. He knows the public won’t wear that.
I note that Paul Kelly has today called the selection of a triple Labor-promoted former ABC host (and first lesbian on the High Court bench) “above reproach.”
He would.
Why is Kelly editor at an ostensibly centre-right newspaper?
Lack of ticker mostly … but let’s face it, if ScoMo had an idea, then someone else put it there … the real question is where that idea came from and will ScoMo talk?
Not knowing who she is I did a search. Maybe not.
That’s more like it
Above reproach, you say? I’d say above approach.
Virginia Bell was indeed quite the lefty in her youth, but I was very surprised at her latest appointment. I thought the left would never forgive her for her role in the High Court’s acquittal of Pell. I watched some of the recording of the proceedings in the 2020 lockdown (there wasn’t much else to do at the time!) and noticed that it was Bell who led the judicial pile-on against the egregious Kerri Judd (Victorian DPP). (By the end all seven judges were giving Judd a bollocking: it was delicious to watch.) The ABC Soviet must have been sticking pins into voodoo dolls of Bell by the end.
Bell does, however, have an link with Albo that trumps all that: she is a dyed-in-the-wool Rabbitohs fan!
One thing Bell would have learned at the Redfern Legal Aid Centre is how to spot a corrupt police stitch-up a mile off. The lesson would have served her very well in the Pell case.