Bill Gordon is Entitled Remain a Member of Parliament

QCCL President, Michael Cope, said today, “The Council for Civil Liberties is gravely concerned that in the furore on Mr Billy Gordon his right to the presumption of innocence and to get on with his life having served his punishment has been ignored.”

Mr Billy Gordon has a criminal history most of which is for very minor matters. The most serious of the offences occurred more than 25 years ago. Both the Law[1] and principle say that he is entitled not only not to disclose those convictions but to in fact lie about them.

In 2002 the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act was amended to specify that the disclosure that a person seeking to enter Parliament was required to make; only those offences that disqualified them from being a member of Parliament.

“Until Mr Gordon is convicted of an offence which disqualifies him from being a Member of Parliament he should be able to sit.”

This brings us to the more serious matter of the allegations of domestic violence. Domestic violence is a legitimately a matter of concern to the community. However, Mr Gordon like every other citizen is entitled to the presumption of innocence.

“The Premier rightly referred the allegations of domestic violence to the Police. Until that process results in Mr Gordon being convicted of an offence which disqualifies him from being a member of Parliament he is entitled to sit and should be allowed to do so without hindrance.”

[1] Criminal Law (Rehabilitation of Offenders) Act 1986