AUSTRALIAN LEFTIST GOVERNMENT COMPENSATES A JUDGE THEY APPOINTED FOR A WRONGFUL CONVICTION BUT NOT A CONSERVATIVE POLITICIAN

And the judge was let off only because she was found to have legal immunity for what she did!

Pauline Hanson could not expect the Queensland Government to pay her compensation for her wrongful time in jail simply because former chief magistrate Di Fingleton will get a payout, according to Premier Peter Beattie. Both women served time in jail for unrelated matters and their convictions were subsequently overturned. However, Ms Hanson has not been compensated. Mr Beattie last week said Ms Fingleton would receive two years' "backpay" for her wrongful conviction and the six months she spent in jail. He also said she would also receive a formal apology from him and might receive lost future salary payments.

But Ms Hanson, the former One Nation leader whose wrongful conviction for electoral fraud was overturned, said the Labor Party would be seen as a "boys' club" if it awarded compensation to Ms Fingleton, a Labor supporter and worker, and not to her. Queensland Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg has said he would support any move by Ms Hanson for compensation.

Mr Beattie said yesterday Ms Hanson had legal rights and she would be entitled to take legal action on the issue if she so chooses. "But there are differences in her case despite what she said," he said. "The High Court said unanimously that Di Fingleton should never have been charged. "Now, there is no such similar finding in relation to Pauline Hanson."

Ms Fingleton had a conviction for retaliating against a witness overturned by the High Court last month. She had served six months in jail. Ms Hanson's conviction for electoral fraud was overturned on appeal in 2003.

Report here


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